WARWICK WOODLANDS. 67 



seeing," exclaimed Archer, "fancy a buck like that lying in 

 such a mere fringe of coppice, and so near to the road-side, 

 too ! and why the deuce did he lay here till we almost passed 

 him !" 



u I know how it's been, any heaw,'' said Jem, who had by 

 this time come up, and was looking on with much exultation 

 flashing in his keen small eye. "Bill Speer up on the hill there 

 telled me jist now, that they druv a big deer down from the 

 back-bone clear down to this here hollow just above, last night 

 arter dark. Bill shot at him, and kind o' reckoned he hot him 

 but I guess he's mistaken leastwise he jumped strong enough 

 jist neaw ! but which on you was 't 'at killed him P 



"I did," exclaimed Torn, "I did by !" 



" Why you most impudent of all old liars," replied Harry 

 while at the same time, with a most prodigious chuckle, Tim 

 Matlock pointed to the white bark of a birch sapling, about 

 the thickness of a man's thigh, standing at somewhat less than 

 fifteen paces' distance, wherein the large shot contained by the 

 wire cartridge the best sporting invention by the way, that 

 has been made since percussion caps had bedded themselves 

 in a black circle, cut an inch at least into the solid wood, and 

 about two inches in diameter ! 



" I ken gay and fairly," exclaimed Tim, '"at Ay rammed an 

 Eley's patent cartridge into 't single goon this morning; and 

 yonder is 't i' t' birk tree, and Ay ken a load o' shot fra an unce 

 bullet !" 



The laugh was general now against fat Tom ; especially as 

 the small Avound made by the heavy ball of Harry's rifle was 

 plainly visible, about a hand's breadth behind the heart, on the 

 side toward which he had aimed; while the lead had passed 

 directly through, in an oblique direction forward, breaking the 

 left shoulder blade, and lodging just beneath the skin, whence 

 a touch of the knife dislodged it. 



" What now what now, boys ?" cried the old sinner, no 

 whit disconcerted by the general mirth against him. " I say, 

 by gin ! I killed him, and I say so yet. Which on ye all 

 which on ye all daared to go in on him, wishout a knife nor 

 nothen. I killed him, I say, anyhow, and so let's drink !" 



."Well, I believe we must wet him," Harry answered, "so 

 get out another flask of whiskey, Tim ; and you Jem and Gar- 

 ry lend me a hand to lift this tine chap into the wagon. By 

 Jove! but this will make the Teachmans open their eyes ; and 



