TOM DRAW'S VISIT TO PINE BROOK. 199 



pocketed, by twos and threes Van Dyne had marked the others 

 down in every quarter of the meadow and, breaking off, singly 

 or in pairs, we worked our will with them. So hard, however, 

 did they lie, that many could not be got up again at all. In 

 one instance I had marked four, as I thought, to a yard, between 

 three little stakes, placed in the angles of a plat, not above 

 twenty paces in diameter taking Van Dyne along with me, 

 who is so capital a marker that for a dead bird I would back 

 him against any retriever living I went without a dog to walk 

 them up. But no ! I quartered the ground, re-quartered it, 

 crossed it a third time, and was just quitting it despairing, when 

 a loud shout from John, a pace or two behind, warmed me they 

 were on wing ! Two crossed me to the right, one of which 

 dropped to John's Queen Ann almost as soon as I caught sight 

 of them, and one to my left. At the latter I shot first, and, 

 without waiting to note the effect of my discharge, turned 

 quickly and fired at the other. Him I saw drop, for the smoke 

 drifted, and as I turned my head, I scarcely can believe it now, 

 I saw my first bird falling. I concluded he had fluttered on 

 some small space, but John Van Dyne swears point blank that 

 I shot so quick that the second bird was on the ground before 

 the first had reached it. In this a solitary case, however I 

 fear John's famed veracity will scarce obtain for him that credit, 

 or for me that renown, to which he deemed us both entitled. 



Before eleven of the clock, we had bagged forty-seven birds ; 

 we sat down in the shade of the big pin oak, and fed deliciously, 

 and went our way rejoicing, toward the upper meadows, fully 

 expecting that before returning we should have doubled our bag. 



But, alas ! the hopes of men ! Troy meadows were too dry 

 Persipany too wet Loise's had been beat already, and not 

 one snipe did we even see or hear, nor one head of game did we 

 bag ; the morning's sport, however, had put us in such merry 

 mood that we regarded not the evening's disappointment, and 

 we sat down in great glee to supper. What we devoured, or 

 what we drank, it boots not to record ; but it was late at night 

 before the horses were ordered, and we prepared for a start. 



After the horses were announced as ready, somewhat to my 

 surprise, Harry took old Tom aside, and was engaged for some 

 time in deep conversation ; and when they had got through with 

 it, Harry shook him very warmly by the hand, saying 



" Well, Tom, I am sincerely obliged to you ; and it is not the 

 first time either." 



