340 Sporting Sketches 



sputtered and floundered round with the bits of 

 boards and the roots and the grass and the ice, and 

 clambered out just as quick as the Lord would 

 allow. Then I swore at the train and the turkeys 

 and the culvert and the ice and the water and the 

 smart Aleck who planned the ambushment, and the 

 rifle for being in that zeroed fool-trap yet ; then, in 

 spite of chattering teeth and trembling limbs, I 

 laughed I had to laugh. 



But the worst of it was that I had to go in again, 

 and also go clean under water for a horrible quarter 

 minute to recover the rifle, after I had located it 

 with my foot ; for no consideration would have in- 

 duced me to leave it there. Then I clambered out 

 once more, and groaning and shivering and shed- 

 ding water every jump, ran and walked and stag- 

 gered the best way I could to the farm-house, where 

 I had a hot drink and a sleep in thick blankets 

 while my clothes were thoroughly dried. That was 

 finally accomplished late in the afternoon, but 

 whether or no it is possible to drive a ball through 

 five turkeys in line I just dinna ken! 



