THE TEAL AND GARGANEY 213 



clean missed, the poor dogs receiving a peppering 

 instead. Fools sometimes get at the ends of guns 

 as well as of fishing-rods, and then men's eyes are 

 knocked out and dogs are crippled. This is sport 

 (save the mark ! ) with a vengeance, 



I have had the pleasure, and I may say the 

 honour, to shoot in the company of some of the 

 best fowlers, not shore-shooters, of their day. No 

 matter what got up, hare, rabbit, partridges, hen- 

 footed fowl, or web-footed fowl, due law was given, 

 and then up went the long fowling-piece. In eight 

 cases out of ten the creature would drop dead in its 

 tracks. 



*' You shoot a hare," was said in quiet scorn to 

 one who had not shot forward enough ; " it squeals ; 

 it's murder." 



The young shooter knew his man, and rested his 

 gunstock on the toe of his boot, simply saying — 



" I beg your j^^i'don, I did not aim forward 

 enough." 



Looking at the young fellow, barely out of his 

 teens — the man's keen grey eyes saw quite as much 

 as most people's, and perhaps a little more — they 

 were eyes that glittered like cold steel when he was 

 angry — he made reply — 



" All right, youngster ; you can keep your ' paddy ' 

 under I see " — the lad's face was crimson, and his 

 eyes blazing. " That's right, choke it down ; it will 

 be of use to you when you get older, for there is a 

 little too much gunpowder in your composition, and 

 the least thing lights it. Now I will give you a 



