SHOOTING THE PRAIRIE GROUSE 401 



througH gate or bars into the extensive green stubble, 

 where the dogs were turned loose and eagerly com- 

 menced to range. On they go for some hundreds of 

 yards, crossing each other at high speed, with heads 

 high in air and merry tail action; but presently there 

 is a pause, one of them checks himself, and makes game, 

 quartering here and there with nose close to the ground, 

 and then making a cast, circling to try to pick up the 

 trail of the running birds. The other dog joins him, 

 and with a little rivalry they press forward, first one 

 and then the other in the lead, until at last, drawing 

 more and more slowly, one stops, and the other backs 

 him. 



The shooters hurry forward on foot, and presently 

 are close behind the dogs, which are standing staunchly. 

 One man pushes forward and walks up even with the 

 leading dog, while his companion steps off a little to 

 one side; and then, suddenly, just before the pointing 

 dog, there is a tremendous hubbub, and three birds get 

 up and hurry away on swiftly beating wings. Alas! 

 they stayed too long. Two of them fall to the right 

 and left of the man standing by the dogs, while his 

 companion, a little to one side, accounts for the third. 

 The rapidly succeeding shots start the rest of the bevy, 

 which in a moment are on the wing, another falling to 

 the last barrel of the man to one side. The dogs have 

 sunk to their haunches, and are gazing eagerly over the 

 stubble. In a moment of such excitement it is too 

 much to expect them to drop flat. 



Presently the guns are recharged and the dogs called 



