WARWICK WOODLANDS. 109 



their eyes from the level sunbeams, the three stood gazing 

 steadily after the rapid bevy. They cross the pasture, skim 

 very low over the brush fence of the cornfield they disappear 

 behind it they are down I no ! no ! not yet they are just skirt- 

 ino* the summit of the topped maize stalks now they are down 

 indeed, just by that old ruined hovel, where the cat-briers and 

 sumach have overspread its-cellar and foundation with thick un- 

 derwood. And all the while the sturdy dogs are crouching at 

 their feet unmoving. 



" Will you not follow those, Harry ?" Forester inquired 

 " there are at least sixteen of them !" 



" Not I," said Archer, " not I, indeed, till I have beat this 

 fold I expect to put up another bevy among those little crags 

 there in the corner, where the red cedars grow and if we do, 

 they will strike down the fence of the buckwheat stubble that 

 stubble we must make good, and the rye beside it, and drive, 

 if possible, all that we find before us to the corn field. Don't 

 be impatient, and you'll see in time that I am in the right." 



No more words were now wasted ; the four birds were bagged 

 without trouble, and the sportsmen being in the open, were hand- 

 ed over on the spot to Tim ; who stroked their freckled breasts, 

 and beautifully mottled wing-coverts and backs, with a caress- 

 ing touch, as though he loved them ; and finally, in true Jack 

 Ketch style, tucked them up severally by the neck. Archer was 

 not mistaken in his prognostics another bevy had run into the 

 dwarf cedars from the stubble at the sound of the firing, and 

 were roaded up in right good style, first one dog, and then the 

 other, leading ; but without any jealousy or haste. 



They had, however, run so far, that they had got wild, and, 

 as there was no bottom covert on the crags, had traversed them 

 quite over to the open, on the far side and, just as Archer was 

 in the act of warning Forester to hurry softly round and head 

 them, they flushed at thirty yards, and had flown some five 

 more before they were in sight, the feathery evergreens for a 

 while cutting off the view the dogs stood dead at the sound 

 of their wings. Then, as they came in sight, Harry discharged 

 both barrels very quickly the loose shot first, which evidently 

 took effect, for one bird cowered and seemed about to fall, but 

 gathered wing again, and went on for the present the cartridge, 

 which went next, although the bevy had flown ten yards fur- 

 ther, did its work clean, and stopped its bird. Frank fired but 

 once, and killed, using his cartridge first, and thinking it in vain 



