FLAPPER SHOOTING 291 



it had an unhappy knack of tilting up every now and 

 again, to the discomfort of ourselves and to the damage 

 of sundry tumblers containing various creature comforts. 

 Then, again, the plate and linen were not of the highest 

 order, and several discoloured patches on walls and ceiling 

 hinted at the possibility of agues, rheums and other 

 pleasant marshland maladies lurking within the precincts 

 of the musty compartment. But does any sportsman 

 worthy of his salt make trouble of the small incon- 

 veniences which " crop up " upon such occasions as 

 these ? Nay ! I verily believe they add zest to his en- 

 joyment. 



Having " cleared the decks " and ordered a simple 

 but substantial dinner to be served at seven o'clock, we 

 sallied forth for a stroll across the marshes, but had not 

 proceeded far before we flushed several couple of duck 

 from a reed-fringed dyke, and, upon the similar thing 

 occurring a second time, it was agreed that the disturbing 

 of the duck was not conducive to good sport on the 

 morrow. The remainder of the afternoon was, therefore, 

 " lazed " away with pipes and cigarettes under the shade 

 of the sea-wall, and in watching the trips of waders pass 

 up the quasi-river as they were driven off the flats by the 

 incoming tide. 



The clock was striking the hour of ten when the baiUS 

 brought in several huge bundles of new and deliciously 

 scented hay, upon which, and well covered by thick 

 blankets, the captain and myself were soon sleeping that 

 sound, dreamless sleep which comes to sportsmen and 



