They entered the canoe, and Ben paddled quickly across the lake to the other shore, where they alighted and ran to the cabin to change to dry clothing.
While they were drying the dishes after dinner, Ben touched them lightly on the arm, and, cautioning them to be still, pointed overhead toward the cross-poles of the cabin. The boys heard the scratching that had alarmed them the night previous. Watching closely, they saw a pretty little animal peering inquisitively down at them with big black eyes. It was white underneath and soft-brown above. Ben said it was a flying squirrel. He promised, if they would watch at twilight, they would see the dainty creatures go sailing through the air. Thoroughly interested, the lads decided to look at the proper time.
“Ah-oonk, ah-oonk!”
The sound came from above, and Ben ran outside, followed by the boys. Looking up to where he pointed, they saw a V-shaped flock of large birds flying rapidly toward the lake. The guide said they were wild geese, and that their coming foretold cold weather. The lads watched them wheel and drop toward the water. Then they distinctly heard the splash as the flock alighted.
Ed and George were for getting their guns and going after the birds at once, but Ben told them to wait. He explained that when the geese first settled on the lake they were wary and suspicious, but said that after a while, if not molested, they would begin to feed, and might then be approached more easily.
The boys grew very impatient as the afternoon wore on, and finally sneaked away to the lake to have a look at the geese while Ben was busy. They could hear the birds calling somewhere out on the water, and when near the lake threw themselves flat on their stomachs and crawled carefully along. They peered from behind a big boulder; and there, but a short distance away, was the flock, feeding and splashing about in fancied security.
“Great Scott! Why didn’t we bring our guns?” demanded Ed, in a disgusted whisper.
“You go back and get them, and I’ll stay here and watch,” replied George, crouching lower behind the rock as one of the great birds raised itself on the water and flapped its wings. “We’ll get one for supper and surprise Ben,” he added, chuckling at the thought.
Ed started eagerly away on his errand, but in his haste was inexcusably clumsy, and fell head foremost over a prostrate log which happened to lie in his path. He went down with a loud crash in the midst of a tangled mass of broken branches and brittle sticks.
Instantly the geese jumped into the air with loud, frightened calls, and flew swiftly along close to the water toward a point of the shore a short distance away.