30 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



sat on a stump with the two setters at a charge beside 

 him. 



"Wliat do we score?" cried I, as we drew near; "what 

 do we score?" 



"I have four woodcocks, and a brace of quail," said 

 Harry. 



"And I, two cock and a brace," cried Tom, "and missed 

 another cock; but he's down in the meadow here, behind 

 that 'ere stump alder !" 



"And I, three woodcock and one quail!" I chimed in, 

 naught abashed. 



"And Ay'se marked doon three woodcock — two more 

 beside yon big un, that master Draa made siccan a bungle 

 of — and all t' quail — every feather on um — doon i' t' bog 

 meadow yonner — ooh! but we'se mak grand sport o't!" 

 interposed Tim, now busily employed stringing bird after 

 bird up by the head, with loops and buttons in the game- 

 bag! 



"Well done then, all!" said Harry. "jSTine timber- 

 doodles and five quail, and only one shot missed ! That's 

 not bad shooting, considering what a hole it is to slioot 

 in. Gentlemen, here's your health," and filling himself 

 out a fair sized wineglass-full of Ferintosh, into the silver 

 cup of his dram-bottle, he tossed it off; and then poured 

 out a similar libation for Tim Matlock. Tom and myself, 

 nothing loth, obeyed the hint, and sipped our modicums 

 of distilled waters out of our private flasks. 



"Now, then," cried Archer, "let us pick up these scat- 

 tering birds. Tom Draw, you can get yours without a 

 dog! And now, Tim, where are yours?" 



"T' first lies oop yonner in yon boonch of brachens, 

 ahint t' big scarlet maple; and t' other " 



"Well! I'll go to the first. You take Mr. Forester to 

 the other, and when we have bagged all three, we'll meet 

 at the hog meadow fence, and then hie at the bevy !" 



This job was soon done, for Draw and Harry bagged 

 their birds cleverly at the first rise; and although mine 

 got off at first without a shot, by dodging round a birch 

 tree straight in Tim's face, and flew back slap toward 

 the thicket, yet he pitched in its outer skirt, and as he 

 jumped up wild I cut him down with a broken pinion 

 and a shot through his bill at fifty yards, and Chase 

 retrieved him well. 



