322 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



" Dear loife ! if it b'ain't as good as a penny gaff to 

 see 'ee shoot, maister ! Whoy " 



" Oh, go to the deuce ! " replied poor Dundas, who 

 was becoming quite nervous under the criticism of his 

 own baihif . 



As Rufus went to pick up the partridge he moved a 

 big jack hare from a clump of spear-grass, which Dundas 

 promptly bowled over with a dose of No. 4. 



" Dang me if Oi be agoing to carry that gert owd heer 

 about with Oi all over the mashes ! She be as heavy as a 

 ship [sheep], and Oi'll hang she on yonder gate till us do 

 come back." 



"I thought you said there was only one old dun-coloured 

 hare and a French partridge on the island, Rufus ? " 



" No, no ; that Oi never, maister. Oi towd 'ee theer 

 was only one owd heer and a ' red-leg ' on Redshank Island 

 — them theer mashes ye sees yonder." 



" Why, you confounded little liar, I never heard of 

 Redshank Island before, and " 



The remainder of Dundas's speech to the untruthful 

 little marshman will never be known, for, as he was speak- 

 ing, a bunch of nine mallard came over the sea-wall from 

 the adjoining island, and, although well out of shat of him, 

 they dropped in a fresh -water fleet at the far end of the 

 island. 



" Us hed best walk the dykes, alius heading for the 

 fleet, for loike as not you'll foind a spring o' teal and 

 a few snipes. But I doubt ye can't hit a snipe for hoss 

 beans, can 'ee, maister ? " 



