Quails. ^17 



I could do better by separating from the main party, I 

 moved to the right, where blackberry and other bushes 

 were quite thick, and acted as my own beater and point- 

 er. Not being able to rouse any game by that method, I 

 became rather listless, and walked heedlessly along, but 

 was soon brougbt to an abrupt halt by the whirring of a 

 brace of quails, which rose almost at my feet. I fired 

 recklessly at one, but missed it, and, before I could turn 

 round, the second had sunk into cover on the left. 

 Knowing what my fate would be if my comrades learned 

 of my scoring a ''goose-egg,"! hurriedly put another 

 shell in the gun, and marched on as nonchalantly as pos- 

 sible. I was joined by one of the party a few seconds 

 later, and he asked me if I had missed. Seeing the 

 twinkle in his eye, I answered evasively that the gun had 

 gone off while I was handling the trigger to see if it was 

 all right. 



"Oh, that was it, was it?" said he, with a look of 

 disappointment. 



Before he could indulge in any more exclamations, a 

 l)n"d si)rung up out of the grass, not ten yards from him. 

 He aimed at it wildly, fired, and missed. 



" I'm in for it," said he, with the doleful air of a mar- 

 tyr, when he saw the fugitive disappearing over the 

 ridge, and two of his companions rapidly approaching. 

 When they drew near, he hung down his head, dropped 

 mechanically into line between them, and, without a 

 word being said on either side, they marched him to a 

 Cottonwood tree and placed his back against it. One 

 man then pressed his hand against the culprit's chest, 

 while the other and myself seized him by both shoulders. 



" You'll kind o' handle me tenderly, won't you, 

 boys? " said he, Avith an expression intended to be both 

 bland and captivating; " 'cause I aint got any other coat 

 but this." 



" Take it off, then," was the severe reply. 

 10 



