Page:Round the Yule Log.djvu/98

74 played away till the tree shook; he did not forget the gobbling and snapping this time, nor did he stir from his place either. When he commenced his performance for the fourth time I had got within shot of him, he was sitting on one of the lower branches close to the trunk of the tree.

Now you are mine, thought I, for instead of a bullet I had loaded with a silver sixpence, which I had cut up for the purpose. But I made a mistake after all; I had no sooner fired than he flew straight away, as if nothing was the matter, although his feathers flew out in a cloud. No, the bullet isn't made yet that will kill that fellow."

"Anyhow, Peter, we will have another try at him to-morrow," said the captain with a somewhat malicious expression. "We know where he roosts at any rate."

"Well, if there were no other birds to be found in the woods, one might perhaps take the trouble to run after him," answered Peter in a somewhat angry tone. "But, dear me," he added ironically, "if the captain will go after him, so, only I don't intend to waste a grain of powder on him. I can only say," he continued with an air of simplicity, "that such playing no one has heard before. And such a bird! Why, it's the most remarkable bird you ever saw. He is not like other capercailzies at all; he is at least half as big again, and perhaps more."

"Yes, you are right, he is a tough old one, scarcely worth powder and shot," said the captain; "his flesh must be as tough and bitter as the fir-twig he roosts on. I would, however, like to see some one put a bullet through him to get an end to all these pranks of his which he so often has played on us. I have been after him several times, without being able to get within shot of him during the play. Twice, however, have I had a shot at him, but at such a long distance, that there was but little chance of my hitting him. It is of course a most foolish thing twice to take a long shot in a capercailzie wood, as you know," said the captain, appealing to me; "but the last time I had no choice, because I heard that villainous Andreas stalking the bird at the same time. He is really, as Peter says, a wonderful bird, this old capercailzie