THE PINNATED GROUSE. 6/ 



ahead and take first shot and by all means to 

 keep cool. The last advice was given to upset 

 their nerves. 



To the dog they went with trembling hands, 

 one alternately scratching his nose and adjusting 

 his hat, the other trying to walk and hold the 

 butt of the gun to his shoulder, to be ready. But 

 nothing rose, and ahead of the dog they went, 

 tyro number one raising his gun to his shoulder 

 also, so as not to be left in the lurch by the 

 superior quickness of number two. Five paces 

 ahead of the dog they walked, but nothing moved 

 and the dogs remained like statues. Number 

 two had to take down his gun to scratch his eye 

 and adjust his collar, while the other had to but- 

 ton his coat so as to get the tails out of the way 

 of action, and try both hammers of his gun to be 

 sure they were cocked. 



Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb sprung a whirl of brown and 

 gray from the tangle of fern and grass, almost 

 at the feet of one of the strangers. It seemed 

 as easy to hit as an elephant tumbling up hill, 

 and with great apparent calmness he pointed 

 the gun full at the middle of the bird's back. 

 The bird was almost suffocated in a vile eruption 



