120 THE HUNTER'S ARCADIA. 



my feet, I fired at the largest cock, just as he gained 

 flight, and brought him down with my left barrel. I 

 was in luck that time, three of the finest game birds 

 in the world falling to two shots. 



It was not long before fresh cartridges were in v 

 the breeches of my rifle, and I was alongside two of 

 my trophies, for the other had disappeared, and how, 

 goodness knows, for my eyes were not off it for more 

 than a few seconds. But miracles do occur sometimes, 

 and, I am inclined to imagine, more frequently to 

 the sportsman than to any other person. It often 

 astonishes one where a quail or a woodcock can have 

 got to, when we feel convinced that we have marked 

 it down to an inch, and are equally certain that the 

 bird is dead. But here was a fowl infinitely larger 

 than a turkey, knocked over at a less distance than 

 a hundred yards ; yet, search as I would, not a vestige 

 of it could be seen. 



I began to think that there must be an ant-bear 

 hole in the neighbourhood, and that the wounded 

 pauw had crawled into it, so began reconnoitring 

 for one of this interesting animal's burrows, and, 

 while so engaged, was joined by my Tottie, who 

 had a grin on his countenance so broad that it 



