PARTRIDGE SHOOTING. 195 



his boot maker's card from his pocket he presented 

 it with his usual grace. We then prepared to 

 move on, when, in spite of a peculiar glance from 

 T.'s eye, I determined to put the question : 



" Is that your land which adjoins Mr. Sluice- 

 dam's?" said I carelessly. 



/ 



"Why, no," said he, with a grin, "it ain't, 

 by a long shot. It wouldn't be no manner of 

 use to tell you where my place be, you know, 

 since you both hate water so. Good mornin' 

 gentlemen." 



" Hang the fellow !" I exclaimed. 



"N'importe" said T., "I have his outlines; 

 here, hold my gun for a moment, I'll fill them 

 up while the impression is fresh." Taking pen- 

 cil and paper from his pocket, he set down on a 

 stump, and with a few bold strokes and scientific 

 dashes, executed so felicitous a caricature of 

 the countryman, that I could not but smile at 

 the likeness. " Now," said he, "we will show 

 this to our jolly host; he will recognize it at 

 once, and if we are not among our friend's gray 

 snipe to-morrow betimes, we will give him 

 liberty to call us gray geese." 



" But the first shot will bring the fellow out 

 upon us," said I. 



" No," said he, laughing, "for cousin Sluice- 



