194 THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



On the "War-path." Rabbit-shooting. Flapper-shooting. Duck- 

 shooting. Wood-pigeons. Life in an Oak-tree. Burying-beetles. 

 Lace-wing Fly. Stag-beetle. Hair-worm. 



IT was a curious sight to see the boys on the " war-path." 

 Frank generally led the way, with his eyes fixed on the hedge 

 or tree-tops. Jimmy followed closely at his heels, and Dick 

 brought up the rear. As their eyes were generally too much 

 occupied in looking out for objects of interest, to take care of 

 their feet, they lifted the latter up from the ground with an 

 action like that of a thorough-bred colt, so as to avoid any 

 obstacles in their path. While going along one day in this 

 style, Frank said,. 



" I tell you what we have nearly forgotten, and that is to go 

 flapper-shooting." 



Flappers are young ducks only just able to fly, and in July 

 it is great fun following them along the side of a dyke, the 

 short flights of the young ones making them easy shots for 

 a beginner. 



" Let us go to-morrow," said Jimmy. 



" You two shoot, and I will look on," said Dick, who cared 

 very little for shooting. 



Dick was not by any means an enthusiastic gunner, as the 

 following anecdote will show. 



He had taken the gun, saying that he was going to shoot 

 rabbits by the Home Copse, a wood which belonged to Mi. 

 Merivale. In a convenient spot the boys had fixed a hurdle 

 close by a hedge-bank, and twined some brushwood through 

 the bars. Between this and the hedge they used to take their 

 seat, and watch for the rabbits coming out of their burrows in 

 the evening. On a warm July evening Dick went to this spot 

 alone, with a parting injunction from Frank not to shoot at the 

 young ones, but to pick out the old bucks. Frank was busy 

 with something or other, and Jimmy was away at Norwich. 





