Part 12 (2/2)

He lifted one foot that was a black blob ofon which to place it, and gave it up as a bad job He leaned over and took the telescope case and tripod

Scotty picked up the Polaroid ca into the swarinned wryly

”We're up to our knees in this mystery already”

Rick lifted a foot with five pounds of et in it up to our hips, we'll have a fine ti out How far do you think it is to the duck blind?”

”Maybe twenty-five yards Not much more than that, maybe less Come on”

Slowly, because of the need to haul each foot out of the rass was over their heads, forrass, however, was no handicap to the biting flies

Within a few seconds each boy was carrying equipht off the swarms An occasional mosquito added to their discoround The rass was less thick and there was an occasional clump ofRick studied the terrain ahead, and in athe brown tips of swarass In a few lint of sunlight on the aluraph

Scotty had seen it, too He stopped and the boys consulted

”We're about twenty yards too far upstreauessed

Rick estiht Let's stay on high ground and head downstream a little We must be al uselessly at the cloud of insects He was grateful for the advice Steve had given the-sleeved shi+rts If they had been wearing shorts, the insects would have had free access to several square feet of bare hide

Both boys counted steps automatically, and after twenty paces downstream, Scotty turned toward the rass into thick mud, then into water with a deep rass thinned Scotty stopped and ain, and eed with the duck blind between theht to hi that rass over their heads Apparently Scotty thought so, too He turned and gave Rick a big grin, then headed for the rear of the duck blind

The water deepened, washi+ng off some of the mud Rick reached down and splashed a handful on his face It are from under the duck blind and speed for shore It was a startled water rat Alerted by the s, the rodent decided to take better cover Then they were at the corner of the blind where the entrance was located

The floor of the blind was level with their chests Rick looked in

There wasn't much space, since the blind had been built to provide only a place for hunters to sit, wait, and then shoot fro positions

Both boys put their equip himself up and pushed the equipment back to make roo Co work

After a few moments' rest, Rick , a squareabout six inches on a side, that had apparently been ive the hunters a view in that direction

The opening was near the forward, upstream corner, and it looked out on Calvert's Favor

Merlin theunder thetree enjoying solasses As Rick watched, a fourth ht a tray on which a silver pitcher rested The boy could see the trickles of water cascading down the outside, and knew they were caused byon the cold metal of the pitcher He moistened his lips A fine pair of dunderheads, he and Scotty were They had come without even a canteen of water

”Easy shot,” he whispered to Scotty ”Let's set up and take the pictures, then get out of here I' them”