Farmer Wilhims Place 183 



hoist, as it were, caused it to retain the perpendicular 

 position as it passed over brook and hedge in a 

 low curve. As it descended it did indeed slope a 

 little, and Orion caught it with one hand easily. The 

 hedge being low he could see it coming ; but guns 

 are sometimes heaved in this way over hedges that 

 have not been cropped for years. Then the gun 

 suddenly appears in the air, perhaps fifteen feet high, 

 while the catch depends not only upon the dexterity 

 of the hand but the ear to judge correctly where 

 the person who throws it is standing, as he is in- 

 visible. 



The spaniels plunged in the brook among the 

 flags, but though they made a great splashing 

 nothing came of it till we approached a marshy place 

 where was a pond. A moorhen then rose and 

 scuttled down the brook, her legs dragging along the 

 surface some distance before she could get up, and 

 the sunshine sparkling on the water that dropped from 

 her. I fired and knocked her over : at the sound of 

 the discharge a bird rose from the low mound by the 

 pond some forty yards ahead. My second barrel 

 was empty in an instant. 



Both Orion's followed ; but the distance, the 

 intervening pollard willows, or our excitement spoilt 

 the aim. The woodcock flew off untouched, and 



