TOM DRAW'S VISIT TO PINE BROOK. 187 



act of pulling up my long fen boots before the cheerful fire, I 

 perceived by the clack of tongues without, that the sportsmen 

 had returned ; and the next moment Harry entered, accom- 

 panied by Fat Tom in his glory, with no less than two couple 

 and a half of that most beautiful and delicate of wild-fowl, the 

 green- winged teal. 



" That's not so bad, Frank," exclaimed Harry, depositing, as 

 he spoke, his heavy single-barrel in the chimney-corner, and 

 throwing himself into an arm-chair; " that's not so bad for ten 

 minutes' work, is it ?'' 



"Better, a darned sight," Tom chimed in, u than layin snoozin 

 till the sun is high ; but that's the way with these etarnal drinkin 

 men, they does keep bright just so long as they keeps a liquorin ; 

 but when that's done with, you don't hear nothin more of them 

 till noon, or arter. Cuss all sich drunken critters.'' 



" That's a devilish good one," answered I ; " the deuce a one 

 of you has shaved, or for that matter, washed his face, to the 

 best of my belief; and then, because you tumble out of bed 

 like Hottentots, and rush out, gun in hand, with all the accu- 

 mulated filth of a hard day's drive, and a long night's sweat, 

 reeking upon you, you abuse a Christian gentleman, who gets 

 up soberly, and dresses himself decently for idleness and what 

 not !" 



" Soberly !" answered Tom ; " Soberly ! Jest hear, now 

 Harry, Soberly ! -jest like as though he hadn't a had his bit- 

 ters, and blamed bitter bitters, too !' 7 



" Not a drop, upon honor," I replied ; " not a drop this 

 morning I" 



"What? oh! oh! that's the reason, then, why you're so 

 'tarnal cross. Here, landlord, bring us in them cider sperrits 

 I harnt had only a small taste myself take a drink, Frank, and 

 you'll feel slick as silk torights, I tell you." 



"Thank you, no /" said I, falling foul of the veal cutlets deli- 

 cately fried in batter, with collops of ham interspersed, for which 

 my worthy host is justly celebrated " thank you, no ! bitters 

 are good things in their way, but not when breakfast treads so 

 close upon the heels of them !" 



" Tak a soop, Measter Frank tak a soop, sur !" exhorted 

 Timothy, who was bearing around a salver laden with tum- 

 blers, the decanter gracing his better hand. " Tak a soop, thou'lt 

 be all t' betther for't enoo. Measter Draa 'si' t' roight o' 't. 

 It's varry good stooff Ay'se oophaud it." 



