WARD GRUMBLES AT OUR INACTION. 195 



bring down the glossy old blackcocks with a thud 

 on the hea,thcr. This is sport for princes. 



On coming down to the burn, a lave of hands 

 and face in its sparkling water was refreshing 

 after the close heat of the covers ; and here we 

 lunched, smoked a pipe, and arranged how the 

 moor was to be taken on the way back. There 

 was by this time a fresh cool breeze, and the 

 general voice was for no loitering, so we again 

 divided and went on. 



All afternoon the sport was excellent ; still, no 

 one was sorry when we at last came to the sheal- 

 ing, felt travel was over, and no walking home to 

 be done. The horses harnessed, the bulk of the 

 game was put into the carriage to lighten Punch's 

 hampers, in consideration of his feelings, he having 

 done a long day's work without a grumble, or 

 even hinting at a strike, which is saying a good 

 deal for his sense in these times. No one had to- 

 day seen any capercailzie or roe deer, but this is 

 hardly to be wondered at, the outskirts of the 

 covers merely having been gone through; besides, 

 it is necessary to beat the woods systematically for 

 the larger kinds of game, and this later on, after 

 the fern and undergrowths have somewhat died down. 



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