SNIPE-SHOOTING. 113 



burnt over, some two years before, grew thick and mat- 

 ted on the loose rotten soil, through which, every few 

 yards asunder, soaked little rills of nearly stagnant 

 water, indicated more by the blackness and ooziness of 

 their muddy channels, than by any visible stream or 

 current. 



The setters looked at one another wistfully, and then 

 at their master, as if they wondered what the deuce they 

 were expected to do in such ground as that, and when 

 at length in obedience to his " hqld up, good lads !" and 

 the wafture of his hand to the right and left, they broke 

 off, and began to quarter their ground steadily and 

 beautifully, crossing each other in regular diagonal 

 lines ; they did not beat at their usual dashing gallop, 

 heads up and sterns down, as they would have done, 

 had they been beating for quail, but felt their way, as it 

 were, gingerly and fearfully, keeping at a trot, though 

 they whipped their flanks all the time with their 

 feathery sterns, and often putting down their noses, as 

 if to seek for some strange trail or scent. 



" Upon my life ! Harry," said his friend, " if it were 

 not impossible, I should believe that those dogs know as 

 well as we do, that they are after some game to which 

 they are unaccustomed to day." 



" Know it ! of course they know it ! Why, if we had 

 been upon stubbles, they would have ranged the whole 

 of this piece, before this time. Ha! Bob toho!" he 

 exclaimed, as a snipe sprung directly under the black 



