276 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



and headlands were dimly discernible in the uncertain 

 light. 



" Yew see yon rise in the wall up against the fust 

 fleet, maister ? Well, if yew head for that there rise, ye'U 

 fetch they geeze bootiful ; and the wind's just right, too. 

 Keep on the leeside of the owd mare, so as the birds 

 can't see ye loike, and ye'U get a shot at them clean as a 

 whistle." 



" Yes, Togood, it is easy enough to say head for the 

 rise in the wall, and I know pretty well where to look for 

 the geese in the lucerne marsh ; but how am I to get 

 across the dykes ? " 



" There be only one dyke, Maister Jack, t' others heve 

 all been filled in since you was last here. There be a ship 

 [sheep] bridge over that dyke now, and the owd mare 'ood 

 find her way across that theer bridge on a divil's dark 

 night, let alone morning." 



" All right ; give me the halter, Togood," said 

 Conway. 



As might be expected, the mare strongly objected to 

 leave her hay-tunnelling operations, and not until the 

 bailiff had well basted her flanks with a hurdle-bar could 

 she be prevailed upon to pass through the stack-yard gate, 

 which led to the marshes. And even then, probably to 

 show that she entertained no ill-feeling towards Jack, 

 she jammed him against one of the gate-posts with her 

 angular shoulder till he felt like an empty bellows. By 

 dint of much hauling and chucking at the improvised 

 reins, however, he persuaded the old lady to cease from 



