CHANCE SHOTS AND ODD FISH. 231 



Finny got me to shoot at Josher's p'inter, when he 

 p'inted east'ard. I knocked his head a one side on 

 him. An' Josher was lookin' out o' his back winder, 

 an' see me shoot ; an' that's how I cum to hev a 

 larrupping." 



" How about the p'inter, eh ? " 



" Father set him to rights agin." 



Some who were not so proficient as the rip above 

 sketched were only allowed to shoot blank charges 

 for a time. Never at any time were heavy charges 

 used, for fear of cutting the shoots about. The birds, 

 as they dipped from one lot of fruit to another, 

 require quick shooting between the rows. This sort 

 of thing in course of time made good shots of 

 the boys. Many of the best shots I ever knew 

 rough-shooters, no doubt, they would be called now 

 had their early training in the fruit-orchards and 

 gardens. The birds knew perfectly well what they 

 had to expect, and they acted accordingly ; the craft 

 shown at times by them was something to wonder 

 at. I have known wild pigeons come great dis- 

 tances to feed on the peas alone. In after-years, 

 when some of the boys had moved far away from 

 their early home, the gun was handled by them still 



