Hn the XPdloo^s witb tbe 3Bow 



self, growing more and more intensely- 

 critical when I missed shot after shot. 

 Time and again I felt his breath on the 

 back of my neck, so eager was he to give 

 me raucously whispered advice. Usually 

 the bird rose about twenty or thirty yards 

 distant, and was fifteen or twenty feet up 

 when I let drive. Shot at that angle, my 

 heavy, broad-feathered arrows would not 

 go far, and I usually marked each one 

 down and went and got it before shooting 

 again. This wrought upon Jarvis until he 

 was actually quivering with excitement, 

 as almost every shaft appeared to clip so 

 close that daylight was obscured between 

 it and the bird — a simple illusion caused by 

 the rapidity of both flying objects. And 

 when at last the hit was made, he quit all 

 restraint and let himself go into spasmodic 

 antics, yelling meantime, and making com- 

 ments upon the wonderful nature of my 

 shooting in a voice and with a facial ex- 

 pression droll beyond description. 



I was glad to get rid of him presently 

 when he had to return to his work. Your 

 sylvan archer gets on better when absolute 

 226 



