Sporting Sketches in Pen and Pencil. 



The two dogs were perfect, and worked like parallel rulers. "We hadn't 

 gone half way into the field when Don stopped and drew himself up 

 till he looked liked a stone dog, and Bess, about sixty yards off on the 

 right, backed him in fine style. We walked up to Don. There was a 

 sudden whirr before us, and up got sixteen birds, serving me rather than 

 Tom. I got my first, and Tom got an outsider. I cut my second about 

 heayUy, and he went away with his leg down, when Tom pulled liim 

 down with a long shot. 



" By Jove, that's a capital shot !" called out young J., and in his 

 excitement pretty loud, too. At the word twelve more birds got up about 

 sixty yards on the left. Sam said nothing, but skewered the offender with 

 his eye, and shook his head deprecatingly, and Master J. coloured up and 

 looked foolish. 



" I'm so sorry," he whispered ; and so he was; but Sam shook his head 

 and looked reproachful. 



" All gone for the turnips, sir ; and I warrant BiU 'ave marked 'em ; he's 

 got a eye like a 'awk, 'as Bill. Better foUer 'em at once, sir," said Sam, 

 picking up the dead birds. 



" Bight, Sam, on you go ; " and on we went to the tree to take Bill's 

 report. 



"The thirteen's gone down just over the brow by that white turmut; 

 the twelve skewed up under the hedge, and is gone into that ere briery bit, 

 you know." 



" Then we'll drive 'em to the clover, and there we shall likely get 'em 

 to rights. Now, gents, on we go's; and. Bill, run on ahead to that ere 

 gap, and signal your mate to get on to the other corner." 



We then made a circumbendibus, and got below them so as to drive 

 them in the desired direction. As we didn't want the dogs, we called 

 them in to heel. The beauties had each fallen just where he stood, and, 

 with heads up, regarded our proceedings critically; and never moved till 

 the guns were loaded and shouldered. We got round the birds, which did 

 not get up all at once, but went away in two lots, out of which we got 

 three, for I was not quite into my batting yet. They went straight for 

 the clover ; and, as we went on to the clover, we went through the briery 



