"'You will see that I'm right, presently,' I laughed.
"The professor removed his blue goggles and rubbed them, glancing obliquely at me.
"'Haven't you heard what extraordinary eyesight duck-shooters have?' said his daughter, looking back at her father. 'Jack says that he can tell exactly what kind of a duck is flying before most people could see anything at all in the sky.'
"'It's true,' I said; 'it comes to anybody, I fancy, who has had practice.'
"The professor regarded me with a new interest. There was inspiration in his eyes. He turned towards the ocean. For a long time he stared at the tossing waves on the beach, then he looked far out to where the horizon met the sea.
"'Are there any ducks out there?' he asked, at last.
"'Yes,' said I, scanning the sea, 'there are.'
"He produced a pair of binoculars from his coat-tail pocket, adjusted them, and raised them to his eyes.
"'H'm! What sort of ducks?'
"I looked more carefully, holding both hands over my forehead.