314 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



smallest portion of Tommy's anatomy did we catch a 

 glimpse of as he screwed his way along the filthy rill. 



Suddenly the report of a gun reached our ears from the 

 mouth of the gut, and the next instant the whole flock of 

 oxbirds rose like a cloud. Bang ! rang out the second 

 barrel ; a lane was cut through the " brown " of the 

 bunch, and the mud was dotted with dead and wounded 

 birds for yards around. In less time than it takes to write 

 it, the little marshman emerged from the rill as naked as 

 the day he was born, and went wading through the breast- 

 high and icy-cold water until he reached the spit, often 

 sinking up to his middle in the soft, black mud. Having 

 gathered the spoil, he half-waded, half-swam, back to 

 where he had left his clothes and the gun, and, a few 

 minutes later, joined B and myself on the wall. 



" Well done. Tommy ; how many oxbirds did you 

 shoot ? " 



" Dwenty-dree, maister, and dwo or dree o' the 

 warmints got into the creek afore I could get at 'em. 

 They flaming ode saddle-backs, gulls, or hoodies ^ will 

 hev' all that got away, but there be enough for a puddin' 

 anyway." It certainly was well done, and the clever 

 manner in which that youngster stalked to within thirty 

 yards of the dunlin was little less than marvellous, and 

 might have taught many a fowler of long experience a 

 lesson. 



It was now late in the afternoon, and the big, angry- 

 looking sun was rapidly disappearing beneath the western 



1 Koyston crows. 



