116 AMEBICAN GAME. 



" Take your own time I am ready. At all events, I 

 will say now that I never saw better-broke, or steadier 

 dogs." 



" Now then, hold up, good lads," cried Harry, waving 

 his hand to the dogs with a low whistle, and walking up 

 to them, he encouraged them, and cheered them, as he 

 made them find each one of the four dead birds, and 

 when found, let them scent and snuffle them as much as 

 they chose, and even mouth them gently. After that, he 

 laid them at a short distance before their noses, and cry- 

 ing " toho !" made them stand and back, several times in 

 succession. After this, he pocketed the birds, apologiz- 

 ing to his friend, as he came up, for having kept him 

 waiting. 



" No need for an apology, Harry," said he ; " on the 

 contrary, I am much obliged, for, like the dogs, I too 

 have been taking my lesson." 



" Well, forward, hold up lads !" and away they went 

 again, the dogs gathering courage as they drew, and 

 beating more boldly and carrying more head, as they 

 ranged forward, but still working much slower, and 

 more warily than they would have done on quail. For 

 a while they found nothing, for all the birds had scat- 

 tered far and near, at the first disturbance of the feeding 

 gimmd. After a while, however, at the edge of some 

 tall flags in good springy feeding ground, Bob, who was 

 a little to the right, in front of Charley, dropped from 

 his canter into a slow trot, straightened his neck and 



