210 THE JONATHAN PAPERS 



did n t he come? I gazed into the twilight 

 where he had disappeared. I could n t go and 

 hunt for him, because I should certainly get 

 lost or fall into a ditch. Ah! What was that? 

 The long red flash of a gun! another! - 

 then the double report! Well, of course, if he 

 were shooting, I would suspend judgment a 

 reasonable time. 



But it seemed quite an unreasonable time 

 before I felt the impact of his tread on the 

 springy marsh floor. I rose stiffly, feeling 

 cross. 



&quot;Did you think I was never coming?&quot; 



&quot;I can t think. My brains are stiff.&quot; 



&quot;I was delayed. I dropped one in the ditch. 

 He was only wounded. I could n t leave him.&quot; 



&quot;Then you got some?&quot; 



&quot;Feel!&quot; 



I felt his game pockets. &quot;One, two oh, 

 three ! I did n t hear you shoot except twice. 

 Well&quot; I was stamping and flinging my 

 arms around myself in the endeavor to thaw 

 out &quot;I think they re very well off: they re 

 bound for a warm oven.&quot; 



&quot;Cold? Thunder! I ought to have left 

 you the bottle. Here!&quot; 



