A Wary Mother 193 



then stood up. His eyes looked dazed and he 

 did not seem really to know just where he 

 was; then a furtive look came into them and 

 he squatted low on the ground and watched us 

 intently. 



Suddenly there was a roar of wings just 

 over my head that made me duck and clutch 

 the top of my head with both hands. I 

 looked on the ground and my cock partridge 

 was gone. 



" Where is he, Ben? " I asked. 



" There," replied Ben with a grin, " and 

 pretty lively for a dead bird, too." 



I looked where Ben indicated, and saw the 

 cock sailing away, already nearly out of sight 

 in the distant cover. 



" I guess he has had all he will want of old 

 feather-legs," said Ben, with a chuckle. " He 

 ought to have known better. Did you notice 

 his markings, Harry? He was a beautiful 

 bird, with copper-colored markings and a red- 

 dish ruff. We don't see partridges marked 

 like him often in these parts. 



" There'll be a nest somewhere near that 



