MORE ABOUT FOWLING ON LONGSHORE. 297 



" What shall we do, then ? " 



" Why, lay the guns down in this strip of thick 

 bents, and stick this bit of drift-wood up where 

 we lay them, so that we can place our hands on 

 them easily without having to hunt about for them." 



"All right, we shall sail now; let's have that 'ere 

 damned crow." 



It was easier said than done. Scrunch, scrunch, 

 rattle, rattle, over the beach, but no dun crow. 

 "Where have he got to, eh?" There again was 

 the question. " The father of evil must ha' helped 

 him hide ; but we'll have him yet." 



As we were looking close to the edge of the 

 tide, out from a hollow half filled with sea-weed 

 rushed the crow, yelling like a madman. With a 

 yell louder still than the crow's, my companion, 

 who was some distance off, told me to board him. 

 For the second time that day I went sprawling, 

 my feet having been noosed by the wiry treacher- 

 ous bents. 



"I'm a-comin', I'll have him where is he?" 

 The crow was out of sight. " There he goes ! All 

 right, you can sail, I'm overhaulin' on yer now; 

 it's no good your hollerin' for mercy, not a bit on 



