8 SHOOTING AND SALMON FISHING 



At the end of the drive the culprit, whom we will call A., 

 without even waiting to pick up his birds, came striding towards 

 us, clearly very angry, and the following conversation took 

 place : — 



A. I say, G., dash it all! What on earth do you mean by 

 yelling out like that ? I vow I never even shot near you, and 

 it's not fair to shout a fellow's name all clown the line, and it's 

 precious rough on me, as I'm nearly a stranger here ! 



G. Well, A., it's no good being in a rage. I'm sure you did 

 fire right into us— ask Donald (the loader). However, no harm 

 is done, but for goodness' sake do be more careful in future. 



A. Good gracious, G. ! you must have taken leave of your 

 senses, for no one can be more careful than I am ; and besides, 

 my shots could not have hit you and missed C. (the lad), who 

 was in a direct line between us. 



G. All right, A., you keep your opinion ; I shall stick to 

 mine. So we will let the matter drop and say no more about it. 



A. (still very angry and turning to C., who was placidly 

 picking up his birds). Hi ! C., come here a moment, will you ? 



C. (coming up). Well, what is it ? 



A. Why, G. says I shot into his box, and I could not 

 possibly do that without hitting you, so please just say straight 

 out if any shots did come your way. 



C. Well, A., since you put it like that, as a matter of fact 

 I have got five pellets in my back ! — only flesh wounds though, 

 and as they don't hurt it does not matter ! ! 



A. collapsed and apologized like a man, and we all had a 

 good laugh at his expense. C.'s wounds gave him no trouble, 

 and he was richer by the five pellets and a very handsome cigar 

 case A. sent to him to commemorate the event, and from that 

 day forth A. could always be passed as safe. Poor C- after- 

 wards confided to us, when asked why he had said nothing, that 

 he was silent simply because he had always heard he must 

 expect to be hit when grouse driving ! 



This story well shows how an excitable man, when fixing his 



