THE FAMILY OF WADERS. 251 



gunner crawled through the blite, and looked down at 

 us lads, whispering, " What is it ? " 



" Curlew," whispered back the sage of fourteen ; 

 "they're feeding round the mouth of the gully on 

 the ooze. Lend us yer gun, I ken knock 'em over. 

 I knows I ken do it." 



" But she'll kick and bruise ye terrible." 



" Oh no, she wun't ; fur I shell put my weskit on 

 an' stuff my worsted stockin's in front, an' button 

 up tight. If she do kick, she wun't hurt me." 



As the waistcoat was of the then very fashionable 

 material called nankeen, the boy, after completing 

 these arrangements, did certainly look a very odd 

 figure. The gunner, besides giving him careful 

 directions, told him he looked like a toad with the 

 dropsy. All this was of course spoken in the most 

 subdued tones, for fear the curlew should " shank " 

 or "flight" it. Then we boys proudly watched our 

 companion cautiously wade down the gully, his 

 gun well away and in front of him. Presently a 

 bend hid him from our sight, and we waited with 

 eyes and ears open for the shot. With a roar off 

 she went, and we tore down the mud and water 

 of the gully like so many mad bull-frogs, the shooter 



