"I wonder if Amos will get a shot at them, Ben. Let's get back as quick as we can. We may be in time."
We threw down our pigeons, and made through the woods as fast as we could. As we were running up the hill, we heard a bang.
"Confound the luck," said Davy, "we're just too late! Let's hurry up and help Amos."
When we got to the top of the hill Amos was running round, twisting the necks of the wounded pigeons. As soon as he saw us, he stood up and began:—
"H-H-He—" But he was too excited, and couldn't get the words out. He pointed to the pigeons, and kept on catching them and twisting their necks. We did the same. When we got through, Davy asked, "What was it that you were saying to us when we got here? I didn't quite catch it."
"No! It sort er st-stuck on the way; 'h-help me' is pretty hard to say sometimes. I t-t-tell you, b-boys, there was millions of 'em, an-and I guess I shot a barrel full. When I saw that b-big flight coming, I wished you were here, and then I was g-glad you were not. For I w-wanted to see h-how many I should get. They came just like a b-big cloud, and began to light on that p-pole, and the air was just f-full of them. You c-couldn't see anything but pigeons. I blazed away, and the ground was c-covered with them.
"I was t-tickled enough to see you fellows jump in and help me. I w-wonder how many there are. Let's count them."
AMOS MAKES A GREAT SHOT
We gathered them up, and there were fifty-two.