WARWICK WOODLANDS. 103 



or a hundred and fifty birds> as our party almost always do out 

 here, and then be obliged to throw them away, just for want of 

 a little care. Why, I was shooting summer cock one July day 

 two years ago there had been heavy rain in the early morning, 

 and the grass and bushes were very wet Jem Blake was with 

 me, and we had great sport, and he laughed at me like the 

 deuce for taking my birds out of my pocket at the end of every 

 hour's sport, and making Timothy smooth them down carefully, 

 and bag them all after my fashion. Egad I had the laugh 

 though, when we got home at night !" 



" How so," asked Frank, " in what way had you the laugh ?" 



" Simply in this a good many of the birds were very hard 

 shot, as is always the case in summer shooting, and all of them 

 got more or less wet, as did the pockets of Jem's shooting jacket, 

 wherein he persisted in carrying his birds all day the end was, 

 that when we got home at night, it having been a close, hot, 

 steamy day, he had not one bird which was not more or less 

 tainted* and, as you know of course, when taint has once be- 

 gun, nothing can check it." 



" Ay ! ay ! well that indeed's a reason ; if you can't buy 

 such a bag, especially !" 



" Well, you cannot then, I can tell you ! and I'm glad you're 

 convinced for once ; and here comes breakfast so now let us to 

 work, that we may get on our ground as early as may be. For 

 quail you cannot be too early ; for if you don't find them while 

 they are rambling on their feeding ground, it is a great chance 

 if you find them at all." 



" But, after all, you can only use up one or two bevies or so ; 

 and, that done, you must hunt for them in the basking time of 

 day, after all's done and said," replied Frank, who seemed to 

 have got up somewhat paradoxically given that morning. 



" Not at all, Frank, not at all," answered Harry u that is 

 if you know your ground ; and know it to be well stocked ; and 

 have a good marker with you." 



" Oh ! this is something new of yours some strange device 

 fantastical let's have it, pray." 



" Certainly you shall ; you shall have it now in precept, and 

 in an hour or two in practice. You see those stubbles on the 

 hill in those seven or eight fields there are, or at least should 



* This is a fact thirty birds were thrown away at night, which had 

 beea killed that same day. 



