48 TRAINING vs. BREAKING. 



should be encouraged to go on. Let him go where he please^ 

 taking care only to keep him within bounds and always 

 under your eye, that you may see just what he is doing. Do 

 not bother him with any orders, if you can possibly avoid it ; 

 above all, do not make him beat each particular corner that 

 you may think desirable, but rather allow him to take the 

 lead and to have his own sweet wiii, content to follow him 

 until he has gained some little insight and become some- 

 what accustomed to the new life just op nicg before him. 

 See with what eager pleasure he explores the h'dJen mys- 

 teries of the covert, how his every graceful motion tells of 

 joy ; how his sparkling eyes mirror his delight ; but look, 

 and proudly feast your eyes upon the welcome sight, he has 

 discovered that something is in the wind and the 

 " heaven-born instinct " within has frozen him rigid as the 

 rock by his side. Choke down that rising lump in your 

 throat ; quiet the quick throbbing* of your heart ; and, 

 while blessing your good fortune, be cool and collected, for 

 never more need of cool, deliberate action than now. Your 

 dearest foe is near, and faltering eye or trembling hand will 

 insure his triumphant escape and cause you unwelcome dis- 

 comfiture. Do not hurry, but, with deliberate haste, walk 

 forward and force a rise ; calmly now, and, as though on 

 parade and about to shoot at a chip tossed in air, cooly 

 bring your gun into position, glance along the trusty bar- 

 rels and, with " eye of faith and finger of instinct," "cut 

 loose," and fortune grant your aim be true ! The chance s 

 are greatly against your obtaining a clo:e shot at the first 

 rise, unless among young and unsophisticated birds ; but 

 shoot you must, nevertheless, even should the flashing form 

 be far beyocd your reach or, as very often happens, entirely 

 out of sight, for we have not done with him yet ; and mo fc 

 potent is the Bound of gun and whistle of the hurtlicg lead 

 to drive from his crafty brain the wisdom that causes him to 

 shun our close acquaintance. Should your shot prove deadly 

 and the conduct of your dpg be ali that you cou'd wish, with 

 a loving pat and kindly words, lead your pet straight to 

 your victim and as soon as his sensitive nose locates the 



