228 Sporting Sketches 



from set muscles, yet quivers with the tenseness 

 of sudden excitement. The man, too, feels the 

 magic of the situation. His eyes gleam and his 

 teeth grip the pipe-stem as if they would shear it 

 off. His heart thrills with rapturous anticipation 

 and his strong hands grip the gun ready for instant 

 action. Right well he knows that the pointer never 

 draws like that or raises head and stern so high 

 except for serious business. A dead leaf falls 

 ticking through the tangling twigs, and at the 

 first move of it the dog gives a convulsive twitch, 

 while the gun flashes to the level and down again. 

 A smile flickers in the keen eyes as the man moves 

 a step nearer. No matter which way the game may 

 go, he is bound to have a fair chance and he knows 

 it. The cover is none too thick for even a straight- 

 away drive, while all other directions mean the broad 

 open. He clucks softly to the dog, but there is no 

 responsive move clearly this is a serious case. 

 Could it possibly be a ? Ah! the roar of him, 

 as he tore like a feathered shell through the dens- 

 est growth ! Oh ! the beauty of him, as he curved 

 into the mellow sunshine, his dainty crest and 

 plumes flattened with speed. And, ho ! the smash- 

 ing thump of him as he hit the ground some thirty 

 yards away. 'Twas a brave dash, Sir Ruffs, but 

 risky withal, to dare that sunny open in defiance 

 of trained eyes and nervously quick hands. Was 

 it yonder mat of new clover-tips, or the red fruit 

 of the brier-rose, which coaxed you here a fourth 

 of a mile from your woodland stronghold? 



But the dog is eager to be off. .The languid air, 

 scarce drifting in its lazy mood, is tattling something. 



