158 Sporting Sketches in Pen and Pencil 



headstrong. Snipe was his best point, and at this he enjoyed himself ; 

 but if the shooting was bad he would get very sulky, and sometimes 

 even come in to heel. A young friend staying in the house one day 

 borrowed the old dog, and went off to shoot the common, where were 

 some marshes. They came to the first marsh; Rock stood, and up got 

 a snipe. Bang, bang ! Off went the bird. Rock looked round, but 

 travelled on in search of another. It was soon found. Bang, bang ! 

 Off went the bird again. Rock looked at the gunner with a suspicious 

 glance and a deprecatory wave of the tail, but once more made 

 tracks, and the third time he stood a bird, and a third time the 

 gunner missed. Rock squatted down in the middle of the bog, 

 put up his head and howled dolefully. At length, with a whimper 

 as if he had been hurt, and a growl at the young gunner when he 

 attempted to express solicitude, the old dog consented once more to 

 trot on, but he did so sulkily and without any verve. At length he 

 pulled up again, and up got a couple of snipe. Bang, bang ! went the 

 gunner, and the fourth time without result. Rock yelped, got up, shook 

 himself, put his tail firmly down, and trotted out of the bog, and when 

 called by the gunner only changed his trot to a canter. An hour later 

 our young friend came home in great perturbation, and sought my brother- 

 in-law with a disturbed countenance. 

 "I'm afraid I've lost Rock." 



" Lost old Rock ! Not you. You couldn't do it ; he knows every 

 inch of country for fifteen miles round, and I'd like to see the stranger 

 who woidd venture to handle him." 



" Well, it was the most singular thing ; he had a sort of fit or 

 something, for all of a sudden in the middle of the bog he sat down and 

 howled awfuUy, and seemed in great pain, though he wouldn't let me see 

 where he was hurt, and just after that he bolted right straight away 

 over the common out of sight." 



" Hah ! how were you shooting ? Did you miss many ?" 

 "Well, yes, I missed the first four or five shots running." 

 " Ay, ay ! that accounts for it, he'd never stand that. I'll warrant we 

 find him at home," and going out there was the old dog snug in his kennel ; 



