10 EXPERIENCES OF SPORT. 



time of night ? Some of our friends from 

 Rennes, 111 be bound/ 



" e By heavens, Grant/ said MacA., turning as 

 white as a sheet, e something tells me it is that 

 horrid owl. I have done nothing all day but 

 think of him/ Of course I laughed at the idea, 

 when three knocks were heard again. I went 

 to the door, and called out, e Who's there ?' but 

 no answer was given. ' MacA./ said I, calling 

 out to him in French, ( bring me my pistols, and 

 I will soon know who this is.' He instantly 

 came with them, and I opened the door, when, 

 instead of seeing a beggar, as I had expected, or 

 some friends, in hopped the owl, but oh ! how 

 changed. His tail, wings, and back were com- 

 pletely stripped of feathers, and nothing but the 

 head remained untouched, and his unfortunate 

 body was all raw and bleeding. 



" This is a most extraordinary thing/ said 

 MacA., and he seemed to think so too, for there 

 he stood, with amazement and horror written in 

 every feature. We moved towards the dining- 

 room, and the bird hopped after us, as if nothing 

 had happened. We sat down, and took our 

 seats in silence, the owl ensconcing himself in 

 the chimney corner, looking us full in the face. 



