WARWICK WOODLANDS. 113 



Grouse was as firm as iron, his nose within six inches of a bunch 

 of wintergreen, pointed directly downward, and his head cocked 

 a little on one side they stepped up to him, and, still on the 

 wall-top, Chase held to his uneasy attitude. 



" Now, then," said Harry, " look out, till I kick him up." 



No sooner said than done the toe of his thick shooting-boot 

 crushed the slight evergreen, and out whirred, with his white 

 chaps and speckled breast conspicuous, an old cock quail. He 

 rose to Forester, but ere that worthy had even cocked his gun 

 for he had now adopted Archer's plan, and carried his piece 

 always at half cock, till needed flew to the right across the 

 Commodore ; so Frank released his hammer and brought down 



his Manton, while A deliberately covered, and handsomely 



cut down the bird at h've-and-twenty yards. 



Grouse made a movement to run in, but came back instantly 

 when called. 



" Just look back, if you please, one moment, before loading,'* 

 said Harry, " for that down-charge is well worth looking at." 



And so indeed it was for there, upon the wall-top, where he 

 had been balancing, Chase had contrived to lie down at the 

 gunshot wagging his stern slightly to and fro, with his white 

 fore-paws hanging down, and his head couched between them, 

 his haunches propped up on the coping stone, and his whole at- 

 titude apparently untenable for half a minute. 



" Now, load away for pity's sake, as quickly as you can ; that 

 posture must be any thing but pleasant." 



This was soon done ; inasmuch as the Commodore is not ex- 

 actly one 'to dally in such matters ; and when his locks ticked, 

 as he drew the hammers to half-cock, Chase quietly dismounted 

 from his perch, and Shot's head and fore-paws appeared above 

 the barrier ; but not till Archer's hand gave the expected signal 

 did the stanch brutes move on. 



u Come, Shot, good dog it is but fair you should have some 

 part of the fun ! Seek dead ! seek dead ! that's it, sir ! Toho ! 

 steady ! Fetch him, good lad ! Well done !" 



In a few minutes' space, four or five more birds came to 

 bag they had run, at the near report, up the wall side among 

 the bushes, and the dogs footed them along it, now one and 

 now another taking the lead successively, but without any eager- 

 ness or raking looking round constantly, each to observe his 

 comrades' or his master's movements, and pointing slightly, but 



. 



