I said, “What’s the matter now? Are we supposed to follow your lead when you do that? Wait till we have something to eat first.” “Don’t talk about anything to eat,” he whispered; “we’re going to have a feast, we’re going to have a banquet, we’re going to have roast duck. Shh! Here, take this tin. Look over there in the marshes. See? Almost under the end of the bridge? Do you see that streak of white? Shh! That’s a duck. He’s caught in the branches of that—shh!” We all tiptoed very softly about half-way across the bridge and leaned way over the railing at the place that he pointed out to us under the other end. There was an old fallen tree there and some of its branches were sticking out of the water. In among them was a duck. I guessed he must have been caught there. It seemed as if he didn’t see us or hear us, so I thought he must be caught there in some way because ducks are so suspicious. “Mm-mmm!” I said. “I can just taste him.” “Looks good to me,” Garry said. “Talk low,” said Bert. “Go back and wait, I’m going to get him,” the kid said. “I was the one to discover him.” “I don’t care who gets him as long as I can eat him,” I said. “We’ll roast him, hey?” the kid whispered. “Go back and wait.” “Look out you don’t scare him away,” Warde said; “even if he’s caught there he might break loose. Go easy and stalk him.” “You leave it to me,” the kid said. “You go back and have everything ready. Maybe you think just because Roy and Hervey can lead us in a lot of crazy stunts that they’re the only scouts here. But you have to thank me for roast duck, so you see?” “You’re so smart you can even find a sign post——” “Shh-h!” he said, starting off. “If there’s any cranberry sauce down there bring it along, too,” I said. He waved his hand behind him for us to keep still, and went tiptoeing back across the bridge. We went back to the place where we were going to make our fire. We could see him take off his khaki shirt (so he wouldn’t get it wet, I suppose) and hang it over the railing of the bridge. Pretty soon we could see him down below, across the creek, crawling over that fallen tree. Warde said, “This will be a big feather in Pee-wee’s cap.” “It will be a big helping on my plate you mean,” I said. “What do you mean, plate?” Bert wanted to know. “Look! What do you know about that? The little codger’s got him!” Garry shouted. “Mm-rn!” I said. “We’ll fry the fish and eat him while we’re waiting for the duck to cook.” “Let’s not bother with the fish,” I said: “Luck seems to be coming our way at last. “Have you got him?” I shouted to Pee-wee as he climbed up over the railing at the other end of the bridge. “Yop,” I heard him say. “We’ll only have to clean the fish and scale him,” Warde said, “and it’ll be a nuisance. Let’s fry the duck instead. There’ll be plenty for all hands because that’s a good big one. Fish only makes you thirsty, anyway. I’m not so crazy about fish—not when there’s duck. Mmm!”