48 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



grassy banks of a small rill, without a bush or tree within five 

 hundred yards of them. 



Evening had closed before we reached the well known tavern- 

 stand, and the merry blaze of the fire, and many candles, 

 showed us, while yet far distant, that due preparations were in 

 course for our entertainment. 



" What have we here ?" cried Harry, as we reached the door 

 " Race horses ? Why, Tom, by heaven ! we've got the Fly- 

 ing Dutchman here again ; now for a night of it." 



And so in truth it was, a most wet, and most jovial one, sea- 

 soned with no small wit ; but of that, more anon. 



DAY THE FOURTH. 



WHEN we had entered Tom's hospitable dwelling, and deliv- 

 ered over our guns to be duly cleaned, and the dogs to be sup- 

 pered, by Tim Matlock, I passed through the parlor, on my way 

 to my own crib, where I found Archer in close confabulation 

 with a tall rawboned Dutchman, with a keen freckled face, small 

 'cute gray eyes, looking suspiciously about from under the shade 

 of a pair of straggling sandy eyebrows, small reddish whiskers, 

 and a head of carroty hair as rough and tangled as a fox's back. 



His aspect was a wondrous mixture of sneakingness and 

 smartness, and his expression did most villainously belie him, 

 if he were not as sharp a customer as ever wagged an elbow, or 

 betted on a horse-race. 



" Frank," exclaimed Harry, as I entered, " I make you know 

 Mr. McTaggart, better known hereabouts as the Flying Dutch- 

 man, though how he came by a Scotch name I can't pretend to 

 say ; he keeps the best quarter horses, and plays the best hand 

 of whist in the country ; and now, get yourself clean as quick as 

 possible, for Tom never gives one five minutes wherein to dress 

 himself; so bustle." 



And off he went as he had finished speaking, and I shaking 

 my new friend cordially by an exceeding bony unwashed paw, 

 incontinently followed his example and in good time I did so ; 

 for I had scarcely changed my shooting boots and wet worsteds 

 for slippers and silk socks, before my door, as usual, was lounged 

 open by Tom's massy foot, and I was thus exhorted. 



