The Wild-Fowlers 45 



desk, " and we '11 be off home to tell the 

 folks about the proposed duck-shoot/' 

 The dog was up and bounding all about 

 the room with great glee as he observed 

 his gentle master stride toward the whip- 

 rack, for he well knew this meant that he 

 was to have both a romp and a ride. 



" But you 're not to go on the shoot- 

 ing trip, sir ; dogs are not used in battery 

 shooting, and if they were I 'd not break 

 you to the despicable practice. No, sir, 

 and I '11 be very careful not to take to it 

 myself if all Forester and Roosevelt say 

 about the pursuit is true. Come along, 

 old chap, away we go ! " 



With these last few words, expressed 

 in a high spirit of good feeling, and with 

 a crack of the graceful road-whip over the 

 head of his canine companion, who well 

 knew the action was one of play, the two 

 went merrily from the building, Seth call- 

 ing loudly to Sam, the colored porter, to 

 be careful about locking up safely before 

 leaving. 



