WARWICK WOODLANDS. 65 



wagon, lugged out a brace of guns from their leathern cases ; 

 Harry's short ounce ball rifle, and the long single barrelled 

 duck gun. 



*' 'T roifle is loaden wi' a single ball, and 't single goan wi' yan 

 of them green cartridges !" 



" Much good ball and buck-shot will do us against partridge; 

 nevertheless, if one trees, Fll try if I can't cut his head off for 

 him," said Archer, laughing. 



" Nay ! nay ! it be-ant book-shot ; it's BO but noomber three ; 

 tak' haud on't, Measter Draa, tak' haud on't. It's no hoort thee ? 

 mon, and 't horses boath stand foire cannily !" 



Scarce had Fat Tom obeyed his imperative solicitations, and 

 scarce had Tim taken hold of the ribbands which Harry relin- 

 quished the moment he got the rifle into his hands, before a 

 most extraordinary hubbub arose in the little skirt of coppice 

 to our left ; the spaniels quested for a second's space at the ut- 

 most, when a tremendous crash of the branches arose, and both 

 the setters gave tongue furiously with a quick savage yell. 



The road at this point of the wood made a short and very 

 sudden angle, so as to enclose a small point of extremely dense 

 thicket between its two branches ; on one of these was our 

 wagon, and down the other the lumber-wain was rumbling, at 

 the moment when this strange and most unexpected outcry 

 started us all. 



u What in t' fient's neam is yon ?" cried Timothy. 



" And what the devil's that ?" responded I and Archer in a 

 breath. 



But whatever it was that had aroused the dogs to such a 

 most unusual pitch of fury, it went crashing through the brush- 

 wood for some five or six strokes at a fearful rate toward the 

 other wagon; before, however it had reached the road, a most 

 appalling shout from Jem, followed upon the instant by the 

 blended voices of all the hounds opening at once, as on a view, 

 excited us yet farther ! 



I was still tugging at my double gun, in the vain hope of 

 getting it out time enough for action. Tom had scrambled out 

 of the wagon on the first alarm, and stood eye, ear, and heart 

 erect, by the off side of the horses, which were very restless, 

 pawing, and plunging violently, and almost defying Timothy's 

 best skill to hold them ; while Harry, having cast oft* his box- 

 coat, stood firm and upright on the foot board as a carved statue, 

 with his rifle cocked and ready ; when, headed back upon us 



