CHAPTEE XIV. 



THE TWELFTH OF AUGUST. 



COMING events will cast shindies as well as shadows 

 before, and such a shindy there was this morning- 

 dogs barking, Fred shouting with glee, and Ward 

 sounding the reveille on his cornet ; besides, some 

 malignants had been sawing, shoving about, and 

 nailing game-boxes under my window, hours before 

 I rose. 



Fred and Hope were first down to breakfast- 

 pretty much what one might expect, grouse-shooting 

 being to them a fresh and coming event; while 

 the Major and I had been, as was replied by the 

 muff when offered a mount (supposed for the first 

 time) with the Quorn, " he had been, and had come 

 to grief;" and although our trials were the reverse 

 of disappointing, still the HAS been does temper 

 enthusiasm in many things, grouse-shooting inclusive. 



