64 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



DAY THE FIFTH. 



Our last day's shooting in the vale of Sugar-loaf was 

 over; and, something contrary to Harry's first intention, 

 we had decided, instead of striking westward into Sulli- 

 van or Ulster, to drive five miles upon our homeward 

 route, and beat the Longpond mountain — not now for 

 such small game as woodcock, quail, or partridge; but for 

 a herd of deer, which, although now but rarely found 

 along the western hills, was said to have been seen already 

 several times, to the number of six or seven head, in a 

 small cove, or hollow basin, close to the summit of the 

 Bellevale ridge. 



As it was not of course our plan to return again to Tom 

 Draw's, everything was now carefully and neatly packed 

 away; the game, of which we had indeed a goodly stock, 

 was produced from Tom's ice-house, where, suspended 

 from the rafters, it had been kept as sound and fresh as 

 though it had been all killed only on the preceding day. 



A long deep box, fitting beneath the gun-case under the 

 front seat, was now produced, and proved to be another 

 of Harry's notable inventions ; for it was lined throughout, 

 lid, bottom, sides and all, with zinc, and in the centre had 

 a well or small compartment of the same material, with 

 a raised grating in the bottom. This well was forthwith 

 lined with a square yard, or rather more, of flannel, into 

 which was heaped a quanity of ice pounded as fine as 

 possible, sufficient to cram it absolutely to the top; the 

 rest of the box was then filled with the birds, displayed in 

 regular rows, with heads and tails alternatins:, and a thin 

 coat of clean dry wheaten straw between each layer, until 

 but a few inches' depth remained between the noble pile 

 and the lid of this extempore refrigerator; this space be- 

 ing filled in with flannel packed close and folded titrhtly. 

 the box was locked and thrust into the accurately fitting 

 boot by dint of the exertion of Timothy's whole strenirth. 



"There, Frank," cried Harry, who had superintended 

 the storage of the whole with nice scrutiny, "those chaps 

 will keep there as sovmd as roaches, till we get to young 

 Tom's at Ramapo; you cannot think what work I had, 

 trving in vain to save them, before I hit upon this meth- 

 od ; T tried hops, which I have known in Ensrland to keep 

 birds in an extraordinary manner — for, what you'll scarce 



