214 ARDENMOHR. 



It was so long before any symptoms of game 

 appeared, that I thought Archie and Peter had 

 improved the occasion to smoke a pipe and rest a 

 while; but by-and-by the black game showed they 

 were disturbed, and a good many were now passing 

 overhead or by the skirts of the wood. I had several 

 shots, and killed two, and I heard the others fire 

 occasionally. Hares and rabbits were now scudding 

 along, and as the beaters came nearer there was a 

 loud shouting and cries of "Mark roe," "Boe 

 forward." I looked keenly out for a shot, but no 

 roe came my way. Only two were seen ; they broke 

 out near where Hope was posted, and he luckily got 

 one, a fine buck, which I found Fred contemplating 

 with great delight when I joined the others. 



It was now getting rather late, so we gave over 

 shooting, set off direct for the farm, and having got 

 the horses harnessed, drove in the dusk along the 

 ticklish hill-road, and came safely home before it was 

 quite dark ; and very tired we all were. 



After dinner there was an inspection of letters, 

 &c., come to-day, and Hope gave us part of a droll 

 letter from Annie Peyton, commiserating our bachelor 

 loneliness and sombre dinner parties, holding out 

 fairer prospects on our visit to Dunesk. 



