152 GAME-BIRDS AT HOME. 



repose of soul necessary to utilize the opportunity. 

 But not this time ; for scarcely did the first bird 

 sink into the green at the report of the first barrel 

 than the gun was turned upon the second career- 

 ing upward, as if bound for some other sphere. 

 In line with the two barrels, the gray glimmered 

 for an instant, and then, as I pulled the trigger, 

 it folded its wings and fell. 



Congratulating myself on that shot, and stoop- 

 ing low, I moved down the rows of corn again, 

 little thinking how soon I was to make another 

 '* handsome double." Before I had gone a hun- 

 dred yards another plover cleared the corn within 

 easy reach. It took me so by surprise that 

 the first barrel wrecked the hopes of a promising 

 pumpkin on the ground below it, and the second 

 ventilated the waving corn-leaves on one side of 

 it, while the bird climbed the summer breeze 

 with never a feather marred, and on the wings of 

 its silvery song bore away toward the zenith. 



There was still plenty of corn left, and on I 

 went to repair my shattered pride. I had 

 scarcely gone fifty yards before two plover rose. 

 They were a little far, but I turned the first one 

 over and fringed the leaves of the corn around 



