SHOOTING THE PRAIRIE GROUSE 401 
through gate or bars into the extensive green stubble, 
where the dogs were turned loose and eagerly com- 
menced to range. On they go for some hundreds of 
yards, crossing each other at high speed, with heads 
high in air and merry tail action; but presently there 
is a pause, one of them checks himself, and makes game, 
quartering here and there with nose close to the ground, 
and then making a cast, circling to try to pick up the 
trail of the running birds. The other dog joins him, 
and with a little rivalry they press forward, first one 
and then the other in the lead, until at last, drawing 
more and more slowly, one stops, and the other backs 
him. 
The shooters hurry forward on foot, and presently 
are close behind the dogs, which are standing staunchly. 
One man pushes forward and walks up even with the 
leading dog, while his companion steps off a little to 
one side; and then, suddenly, just before the pointing 
dog, there is a tremendous hubbub, and three birds get 
up and hurry away on swiftly beating wings. Alas! 
they stayed too long. Two of them fall to the right 
and left of the man standing by the dogs, while his 
companion, a little to one side, accounts for the third. 
The rapidly succeeding shots start the rest of the bevy, 
which in a moment are on the wing, another falling to 
the last barrel of the man to one side. The dogs have 
sunk to their haunches, and are gazing eagerly over the 
stubble. In a moment of such excitement it is too 
much to expect them to drop flat. 
Presently the guns are recharged and the dogs called 
