A MOST DECEPTIVE BIRD 207 



within four hours ? Yet there they were to 

 decide the matter. 



A goose is a most deceptive bird for inex- 

 perienced gunners to shoot. They are so 

 large, they are much farther away than they 

 seem, and their flight much swifter, so that 

 many a goose escapes the shot sent after it 

 by unskilful sportsmen. The knowing how 

 to do it is what makes so large a proportion 

 of big ganders in that pile. After they were 

 disposed of in the cold-room, Old Appetite 

 put in his claim for attention, and that at 

 once. When we were in the Land of Bedlam, 

 no one had thought of him ; but he will not 

 be longer ignored. The savoury smell of 

 onions from that dish of oysters makes him 

 ravenous, while the cook's big plate of biscuit, 

 accompanied by that bowl of dough-nuts, 

 don't improve his behaviour in the slightest. 



Now, reader, you have been looking at our 

 birds : do come in and join us at tea. There 

 is plenty and to spare for all hands. By the 

 time we had finished, it was dark, so we 

 settled back on our easy-chairs, recounted 

 some of the exciting scenes of the afternoon, 

 whiffed our pipes, and finished up with a 



