Snipe Shooting. 161 



old Mike between. We hadn't gone far when the dog Dirke began to 

 quest about, and I noted snipe trail on the muddy banks. 



" Scape ! scape !" and away went away a couple of wary old London 

 tradesmen, as I once heard them called by a friend, for obvious reasons 

 in the bill way, and "Bang! bang!" went two guns. One bird drooped 

 gradually down to earth ; the other (and, alack ! it was mine) continued 

 on his journey until I lost him in ether. The shots started another 

 couple on our left, but until we got near the river bank we saw no 

 more there. Out of some rushes on the bank a leash sprung, " scaping " 

 aloft, and as before Rag nailed one, and I made an ignominious miss. 



•' Can't make it out," I grumbled. " Seem to have forgotten all 

 about it. "What's the meaning of it ?" At that moment Dirke nozzled a 

 jack out of a ditch nearly under my feet. I did manage to gather him, 

 and after that I got on a little better. 



From this we went up and down the drains, crunching the frosty 

 grass, while our breath, warmed by exercise, looked like steam from an 

 engine on the frosty air. The day was fairly bright and clear, and the 

 sun now and then tried to peep out. It was a glorious walk, full of 

 health and vigour. We squashed and plashed away in the heartiest 

 enjoyment, gathering in the long-bills one by one. At length we came 

 to a bit where rushes and reeds showed a patchy tract, partially 

 submerged where the river overflowed the bank in places for two or 

 three hundred yards or so long, and from about thirty to fifty yards in 

 width. 



"Now F., do you get into the boat with Mike, and I will walk the 

 edge behind this bank with Dirke, and between us we should do some- 

 thing here. It is a rare find usually for a duck or two, and I advis? 

 you to collar the big gun and to leave the small game to me. The 

 snipes won't go far, and we shall find them again. The ducks we shan't, 

 so please hold straight, and let 'em have it." 



I got into the boat and they kept down under the bank, which stopped 

 the water from flooding the meadows further, nearly out of sight but 

 about opposite to us. We dropped quickly and noiselessly down, letting 

 two or three moorhens and snipe go, when about sixty or seventy yards 



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