316 A MEDLEY OE SPORT 



B grassed three mallard and a widgeon during the 



short twenty minutes or so of the flighting time, whereas 

 I — well, I did a good deal of shooting, but failed to score 

 anything to my credit beyond the mallard before men- 

 tioned and (tell it gently) an old heron, which came 

 gliding over my head like a grey phantom. 



" Be they all yews got arter all the shootin' you did, 

 maister ? " said Tommy contemptuously, when I joined 

 my companion after the flight ; adding, " Wish I'd hed 

 faither's owd shootin' -iron, I'd a showed yer how to pull 

 'em down." 



" I believe you would have made a better show than 

 myself. Tommy ; and now take us back to the homestead 

 by the shortest cut ' across the marshes.' " 



" All right : gie oi the shillin' you promised, and I'll 

 get 'ee both home in no time." 



" Yes, when we return to the house, you cheeky 

 young beggar." 



" No, no, that 'ont do for oi ; that's what Muster 

 Scroggs did say when oi druve his owd ships [sheep] into 

 Wakerin'. Never seed t'owd war mint agen, and faither 

 tode oi alius to git my money afore-like. If ye don't gie 

 oi me shillin' now ye can jist pig back by yeselves." 



The night was too dark to allow me to watch the ex- 

 pression of B 's face during Tommy's polite oration, 



but I heard him mutter, " Heaven forgive me for dwell- 

 ing even one hour among such savages." 



Personally, I rather enjoyed the whole thing, and was 

 not in the least bit surprised at anything that happened 



