54 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



was entirely collected in his thoughts, except Tom Draw, whom 

 it is as impossible for liquor to affect, as it would be for brandy 

 to make a hogshead drunk, and who stalked oft' to bed with an 

 air of solemn gravity that would have well become a Spanish 

 grandee of the olden time, telling us, as he left the room, that 

 we were all as drunk as thunder, and that we should be stinkin 

 in our beds till noon to-morrow. 



A prediction, by the way, which he took right good care to 

 defeat in his own person ; for in less than five hours after we 

 retired, which was about the first of the small hours, he rushed 

 into my room, and finding that the awful noises which he made, 

 had no effect in waking me, dragged me bodily out of bed, and 

 clapping xny wet sponge in my face, walked off, as he said, to 

 fetch the bitters, which were to make me as fine as silk upon 

 the instant. 



This time, I must confess that I did not look with quite so 

 much disgust on the old apple-jack ; and in fact, after a mode- 

 rate horn, I completed my ablutions, and found myself perfectly 

 fresh and ready for the field. Breakfast was soon despatched, 

 and on this occasion as soon as we had got through the broiled 

 ham and eggs, the wagon made its appearance at the door. 



" What's this, Harry ?" I exclaimed ; " where are we bound 

 for, now 2" 



""Why, Master Frank," he answered, u to tell you tho plain 

 truth, while you were sleeping oft* the effects of the last night's 

 regent's punch, I was on foot inquiring into the state of mat- 

 ters and things ; and since we have pretty well exhausted our 

 home beats, and I have heard that some ground, about ten 

 miles distant, is in prime order, I have determined to take a try 

 there; but we must look pretty lively, for it is seven now, and 

 we have got a drive of ten stifY miles before us. Now, old 

 Grampus, are you ready ?" 



" Aye, aye !" responded Tom, and mounted up, a work of no 

 small toil for him, into the back seat of the wagon, where I 

 soon took my seat beside him, with the two well-broke setters 

 crouching at our feet, and the three guns strapped neatly to the 

 side rails of the wagons. Harry next mounted the box. Tim 

 touched his hat and jumped up to his side, and off we rattled 

 at a merry trot, wheeling around the rival tavern which stood 

 in close propinquity to Tom's ; then turning short again to the 

 left hand, along a broken stony road, with several high and 



