108 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



of the breech, holding it uppermost, and you will never need a 

 picker ; or at least almost never. Remember, too, that the best 

 picker in the world is a strong needle headed with sealing wax. 

 And now that you have finished loading, and I lecturing, just 

 jump over the fence to your right ; and that footpath will bring 

 us to the stepping-stones across the Ramapo. By Jove, but we 

 shall have a lovely morning." 



He did so, and away they went, with the dogs folio wing- 

 steadily at the heel, crossed the small river dry-shod, climbed 

 up the wooded bank by dint of hand and foot, and reached the 

 broad brown corn stubble. Harry, however, did not wave his 

 dogs to the right-hand and left, but calling them in, quietly 

 plodded along the headland, and climbed another fence, and 

 crossed a buckwheat stubble, still without beating or disturbing 

 any ground, and then another field full of long bents and rag- 

 wort, an old deserted pasture, and Frank began to grumble, 

 but just then a pair of bars gave access to a wide fifty acre lot, 

 which had been wheat, the stubble standing still knee deep, and 

 yielding a rare covert. 



" Now we are at the far end of our beat, and we have got the 

 wind too in the dogs' noses, Master Frank and so hold up, 

 good lads," said Harry. And off the setters shot like lightning, 

 crossing and quartering their ground superbly. 



" There ! there ! well done, old Chase a dead stiff point 

 already, and Shot backing him as steady as a rail. Step up, 

 Frank, step up quietly, and let us keep the hill of them." 



They came up close, quite close to the stanch dog, and then, 

 but not till then, he feathered and drew on, and Shot came 

 crawling up till his nose was but a few inches in the rear of 

 Chase's, whose point he never thought of taking from him. 

 Now they are both upon the game. See how they frown and 

 slaver, the birds are close below their noses. 



Whirr r r ! " There they go a glorious bevy !" exclaimed 

 Harry, as he cocked his right barrel and cut down the old cock 

 bird, which had risen rather to his right hand, with his loose 

 charge " blaze away, Frank !" Bang bang ! and two more 

 birds came fluttering down, and then he pitched his gun up to 

 his eye again, and sent the cartridge after the now distant bevy, 

 and to Frank's admiration a fourth bird was keeled over mo^t 

 beautifully, and clean killed, while crossing to the right, at 

 forty-six yards, as they paced it afterward. 



" Now mark ! mark, Timothy mark, Frank !" And shading 



