They are not understood , and so they are queer . At least , that is what other people say , and never once think that perhaps they are the queer ones for not understanding . But Blacky is n't like those people who are satisfied not to understand and to think other people and things queer . He does his best to understand . He waits and watches and uses those sharp eyes of his and those quick wits of his until at last usually he does understand . The day of his discovery of Old Mother Nature 's signs that the coming winter would be long , hard and cold , Blacky paid a visit to the Big River . Long ago he discovered that many things are to be seen on or beside the Big River , things not to be seen elsewhere . So there are few clays in which he does not get over there . As he drew near the Big River , he was very watchful and careful , was Blacky , for this was the season when hunters with terrible guns were abroad , and he had discovered that they were likely to be hiding along the Big River , hoping to shoot Mr. or Mrs. Quack or some of their relatives . So he was very watchful as he drew near the Big River , for he had learned that it was dangerous to pass too near a hunter with a terrible gun . More than once he had been shot at . But he had learned by these experiences . Oh , yes , Blacky had learned . For one thing , he had learned to know a gun when he saw it . For another thing , he had learned just how far away one of these dreadful guns could be and still hurt the one it was pointed at , and to always keep just a little farther away . Also he had learned that a man or boy without a terrible gun is quite harmless , and he had learned that hunters with terrible guns are tricky and sometimes hide from those they seek to kill , so that in the dreadful hunting season it is best to look sharply before approaching any place . On this afternoon , as he drew near the Big River , he saw a man who seemed to be very busy on the shore of the Big River , at a place where wild rice and rushes grew for some distance out in the water , for just there it was shallow far out from the shore . Blacky looked sharply for a terrible gun . But the man had none with him and therefore was not to be feared . Blacky boldly drew near until he was able to see what the man was doing .
Then XXXXX 's eyes stretched their widest and he almost cawed right out with surprise .
Blacky Long Mother Mr. River afternoon queer signs things winter