A Day with tbe Woodcock 179 



teen " of his comrade, and making divers pointed 

 queries in regard to its shooting qualities, he an- 

 nounced that he was ready for business. Only one 

 side of the creek offered likely shelter for the birds, 

 and the keen old man at once volunteered to take it, 

 saying : 



" Yo' g'lang in de open and work de dawg between 

 us far as dat ole tree [about three hundred yards], 

 and I'll beat de brush. Den yo' take de brush an' 

 me de open for de same distance, see ? " The other 

 saw, and also noticed that the arrangement would 

 certainly give the other the privilege of being in " de 

 open " at a very promising stretch, and he gravely 

 suspected that the dusky worthy made the proposi- 

 tion with malicious intent ; but he said nothing and 

 they then started. 



The dog worked close in advance, worming his 

 way hither and thither through the rank grasses and 

 ferns of the creek's bed and in and out of the cover 

 upon the bank, until he suddenly halted where a few 

 spear-like leaves of rushes marked a damper spot. 

 He made a very pretty picture as he stood curved 

 almost to a semicircle, his white back and lemon 

 head sharply defined against the tangle of green, and 

 his eyes staring intently at a clump of ferns almost 

 touching him, while his jaws opened and closed with 

 slow convulsive gasps, as though he would measure 

 his panting breath lest it should disturb the hidden 

 game. 



As his owner approached there rose a shrill, 

 quavering whistle thrice repeated, and three birds 

 fluttered away with an uncertain bat-like flight, the 

 trio springing close together, and, as frequently hap- 



