A Match at Chickens 189 



know," responded M , looking extremely un- 

 easy. 



" Mr. S , what do you say, are you afraid of 



a trifle of cover } " continued the arch villain. 



" Me, why, no ! Anything will suit me," I 

 replied sweetly; for at that instant I saw the 

 white dog stiffen, and I winked a warning. 



The colonel's turning about was a masterpiece 

 of acting, for he really was in a deuce of a fidget. 

 Slowly he settled in his seat ; slowly his keen eye 

 roved along the edge of the thicket, till he saw 

 the white cause of my wink. Too clever by far 

 even then to make a mistake, he remarked: — 



" Well, gentlemen, as Mr. S has no objec- 

 tion, we'll go to the grass again. Very handsome 



of him, I'm shu-ah, as by rights Mr. M should 



have at least two tries at quail. However — " 



He actually had made a bluff at turning the 

 team, when I sung out, " Look yonder ! Is that 

 dog pointing } " 



" Point, gentlemen ! Your turn, Mr. M " 



quoth the colonel, with an air. 



Poor M ! He didn't fancy it and his face 



clearly showed it, while his friend looked black as 

 thunder. Down he went to his doom. There 

 was no time for holding on ; the birds whizzed 

 for cover, and he had to hurry. Result — as clean 

 a miss as man could make. 



" Point ! One more to even things, Mr. M ," 



