OF A RANCHMAN 147 



long diagonals. When either the setter or 

 the pointer came to a stand, the other gen- 

 erally backed him. If the covey was near 

 enough, both of us, otherwise, whichever 

 was closest, walked cautiously up. The 

 grouse generally flushed before we came 

 up to the dog, rising all together, so as to 

 give only a right and left. 



When the morning was well advanced 

 the grouse left the stubble fields and flew 

 into the adjoining prairie. We marked 

 down several coveys into one spot, where 

 the ground was rolling and there were 

 here and there a few bushes in the hol- 

 lows. Carefully hunting over this, we 

 found two or three coveys and had ex- 

 cellent sport out of each. The sharp- 

 tails in these places lay very close, and we 

 had to walk them up, when they rose one at 

 a time, and thus allowed us shot after shot ; 

 whereas, as already said, earlier in the day 

 we merely got a quick right and left at 

 each covey. At least half the time we were 



