196 TOM DRAW'S VISIT TO PINE BROOK. 



" I know them," Harry said, " I know them, good shots and 

 hard walkers both, but a little too much of the old school a 

 little too much of the twaddle and potter system. Jem Tickler, 

 there, used, when I landed here, to kill as many birds as any 

 shot out of the city though even then the Jersey boys, poor 



Ward and Harry T gave him no chance ; but now heaven 



help him ! Fat Tom here would get over more ground, and 

 bag more snipe, too, in a day ! The other is a canny Scot, I 

 have forgot his name, but he shoots well and walks better. 

 Never mind ! we can outshoot them, I believe ; and I am sure 

 we can outmanoeuvre them. Get away ! get away. Bob," as he 

 flanked the near-side horse under the collar on the inside " get 

 away you old thief we must forereach on them." Away we 

 went another mile, wheeled short to the left hand through a 

 small bit of swampy woodland, and over a rough causeway, 

 crossing a narrow flaggy bog, with three straight ditches, and a 

 meandering muddy streamlet, traversing its black surface. 

 " Ha ! what's John at there 3" exclaimed Harry, pulling short 

 up, and pointing to that worthy crawling on all fours behind a 

 tuft of high bullrushes toward the circuitous creek " There are 

 duck there for a thousand !" and as he spoke, up rose with 

 splash and quack and flutter, four or five long-winged wild-fowl ; 

 bang ! went John's long duck-gun, and simultaneously with the 

 report, one of the fowl keeled over, killed quite dead, two oth- 

 ers faltering somewhat in their flight, and hanging on the air 

 heavily for a little space ; when over went a second into the 

 creek, driving the water six feet into the air in a bright spark- 

 ling shower. 



The other three, including the hit bird, which rallied as it 

 flew, dived forward, flying very fast, obliquely to the road ; and 

 to my great surprise Harry put the whip on his horses with 

 such vigor that in an instant both were on the gallop, the wag- 

 on bouncing and rattling violently on the rude log-floored cause- 

 way. An instant's thought showed me his object, which was 

 to weather on the fowl sufficiently to get a shot, ere they should 

 cross the road ; although I marvelled still how he intended to 

 pull up from the furious pace at which he was going in time to 

 get a chance. Little space, however, had I for amazement ; for 

 the ducks, which had not risen high into the air, were forced to 

 cross some thirty yards ahead of us, by a piece of tall woodland, 

 on the verge of which were several woodcutters, with two or 

 three large fires burning among the brushwood. " Now, Tom," 



