WARWICK WOODLANDS. 160 



bouncing up of fresh birds, from the instant when they dropped 

 at the first shot, neither one of Harry's dogs, nor Tom's little 

 Dash, had budged from their down charge. Now, however, 

 they got up quickly, and soon retrieved all the dead birds. 



" Now, then, we will divide into two parties," said Harry. 

 41 Frank, you go with Tom ; and you corne with me, Commo- 

 dore. It will never do to have you two jealous fellows togeth- 

 er, you wont kill a bird all day," he added, in a lower voice, 

 " That is the worst of old Tom, when he gets jealous he's the 

 very devil, Frank is the only fellow that can get along with 

 him at all. He puts me out of temper, and if we both got an- 

 gry, it would be very disagreeable. For, though he is the very 

 best fellow in the world, when he is in a rage he is untameable. 

 I cannot think what has put him out, now ; for he has shot 

 very well to-day. It is only when he gets behindhand, that he 

 is usually jealous in his shooting ; but he has got the deuce 

 into him now.'' 



By this time the two parties were perhaps forty yards apart, 

 when Dash came to a point again. Up got a single bird, the 

 old cock, and flew directly away from Tom, across Frank's face ; 

 but not for that did the old chap pause. Up went his cannon 

 to his shoulder, there was a flash and a roar, and the quail, 

 which was literally not twelve feet from him, disappeared as if 

 it had been resolved into thin air. The whole of Tom's con- 

 centrated charge had struck the bird endwise, as it flew from 

 him ; and, except the extreme tips of his wings and one foot, no 

 .part of him could be found. 



" The devil !" cried Harry, " that is too bad I" . 



"Never mind," said the Commodore, "Frank will manage 

 him.' 1 



As he spoke a second bird got up, and crossed Forester in 

 the same manner, Draw doing precisely as he had done before ; 

 but, this time, missing the quail clear, which Forester turned 

 over. 



" Load quick ! .and step up to that fellow. He will run, I 

 think !" said Archer. 



" Ay ! ay I 11 responded Frank, and, having rammed down his 

 charge like lightning, moved forward, before he had put the cap 

 on the barrel he had fired. 



Just as he took the cap out of his pocket between his finger 

 and thumb, a second quail rose. As cool and self-possessed as 

 it is possible to conceive, Frank cocked the left hand barrel with 



