WARWICK WOODLANDS. 33 



and Tom on the lei't hand. The attitude ol" Archer was 

 superb; his legs, set a little way apart, as firm as if they 

 had been rooted in the soil; his form drawn back a little, 

 and his head erect, with his eye fixed upon the dogs; his 

 gun held in both hands, across his person, the muzzle 

 slightly elevated, his left grasping the trigger guard; the 

 thumb of the right resting upon the hammer, and the 

 fore-finger on the trigger of the left hand barrel ; but, as 

 he had said, neither cocked. "Fall back, Tom, if you 

 please, five yards or so," he said, as coolly as if he were 

 unconcerned, "and you come forward, Frank, as many ; 

 I want to drive them to the left, into those low red 

 bushes; that will do; now then, I'll flush them; never 

 mind me, boys, I'll reserve my fire." 



And, as he spoke, he moved a yard or two in front of 

 us. and under his very feet, positively startling me by 

 their noisy flutter, up sprang the gallant bevy : fifteen or 

 sixteen well grown birds, crowding and jostling one 

 against the other. Tom Draw's gun, as I well believe, 

 was at his shoulder when they rose; at least his first shot 

 was discharged before they had flown half a rood, and of 

 course harmlessly; the charge must have been driven 

 througli them like a single ball ; his second barrel in- 

 stantly succeeded, and down came two birds, caught in 

 the act of crossing. I am myself a quick shot, too quick 

 if anything, yet my first barrel was exploded a moment 

 after Tom Draw's second ; the other followed, and I had 

 the satisfaction of bringing both my birds dovsoi hand- 

 somely; then up went Harry's piece — the bevy being now 

 twenty or twenty-'five yards distant — cocking it as it rose, 

 he pulled the trigger almost before it touched his shoulder, 

 so rapid was the movement ; and, though he lowered the 

 stock a little to cock the second barrel, a moment scarcely 

 passed between the two reports, and almost on the instant 

 two quail were fluttering out their lives among the bog 

 grass. 



Dropping his butt, without a word, or even a glance to 

 the dogs, he quietly went on to load ; nor indeed was it 

 needed : at the first shot they dropped into the grass, and 

 there they lay as motionless as if they had been dead, 

 with their heads crouched between their paws; nor did 

 they stir thence till the tick of the gun-locks announced 

 that we again were ready. Then lifting up their heads. 



