INCONVENIENCE OF A SHADOW. 71 



friends, who made it a point to keep very close 

 to him ; who, not being over zealous, and not 

 liking to work hard through the cover for their 

 sport, took advantage of his good nature, and 

 walked along by his side, conversing, and pass- 

 ing the time in a manner very agreeable to one 

 who is not shooting. He, good easy man, one 

 would almost be inclined to think, deluded him- 

 self, for the first day or two, into the idea, that 

 these " shadows," as he used to call them, were 

 actuated solely by a desire to enjoy his company, 

 and it is possible they thought so themselves. 



Not many days, however, had this system con- 

 tinued before our friend perceived a considerable 

 diminution in the quantity of game he had always 

 been in the habit of bringing home ; he tried in 

 vain to account] for it. He did not attempt to 

 count his shots, because that is a most absurd 

 practice in a country where all shots are snap 

 shots, and where, generally, he who fires most 

 is sure to make the best bag ; but he set himself 

 about seriously to consider how the deficiency 

 could possibly have arisen. At last he recol- 

 lected, and it came across his mind as if by magic. 

 " Why, I lost six birds in tossing with so-and-so" 



