THE MASSACRE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW. 307 



-Quail," said H . 



Those who are not used to quail-shooting would 

 not believe how invisibly they can run. The dog 

 worked them backwards and forwards till at last he 

 came almost up to me. I could not discern any 

 movement in front of him, but trusting him, kicked 

 a thick piece of the stuff, and piep ! piep ! out went 

 a brace of quail, and I had both. Four quail killed 

 and one missed was the result of that patch. 



So we worked on till it was time to knock off for 

 lunch. German sportsmen rarely carry food, as every 

 inn can be relied upon for at least smoked sausage, 

 or ham, cheese, and good bread and butter. After 

 our feed in the wirthshaus, we worked on till the sun 

 was getting low on the sky. 



"Well," said H , " I think I shall knock off. 



There is a bit of the boundary over there where the 

 hares ought to be shot, if you're not tired, or perhaps 

 you'd like to have another try for that buck." 



After some discussion it was settled that I should 

 do both. Accordingly, towards sunset I made my 

 way towards the keeper's cottage to exchange my 

 gun for the rifle. Armed with this and the indis- 

 pensable jagd-stock, or sitting-stick, I started for the 

 wood. 



' That buck," as H called him, was an animal 



who had been sentenced to death on account of his 

 habit of working on and about the frontier, which 



made H fear his neighbour might get him. 



Accordingly, I had sat up for him four or five times 

 in succession till the toads crawled out of the dead 



X 2 



