hO WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



and started; Harry and Tom and I making one party, 

 with the spaniels— ^arry, the Teachmans, and Timothy, 

 with the setters, which would hunt very willingly for him 

 in Archer's absence, forming a second. It was scarce 

 eight o'clock when we went out, each on a separate beat, 

 having arranged our routes so as to meet at one o'clock 

 in the great swamp, said to abound, beyond all other 

 places, in the ruffed grouse or partridge, to the pursuit 

 of which especially we had devoted our last day. 



"Now, Frank," said Hairy, "you have done right well 

 throughout the week; and if you can stand this day's 

 tramp, I will say for you that you are a sportsman, aye, 

 every inch of one. We have got seven miles right hard 

 walking over the roughest hills you ever saw — the hardest 

 moors of Yorkshire are nothing to them — before we reach 

 the swamp, and that you'll find a settler! Tom, here, 

 will keep along the bottoms, workings his way as best he 

 can; while we make good the uplands! Are your flasks 

 full?" 



"Sartain, they are!" cried Tom — "and I've got a rousin' 

 big black bottle, too — but not a drop of the old cider 

 sperrits do you git this day, boys; not if your thirsty 

 throats were cracking for it!" 



"Well, well! we won't bother you — you'll need it all, 

 old porpoise, before you get to the far end. Here, take a 

 hard boiled egg or two, Frank, and some salt, and I'll 

 pocket a few biscuits — we must depend on ourselves to- 

 day." 



"Ay, ay, Sur," chuckled Timothy, "there's naw Tim 

 Matlock to mak looncheon ready for ye 'a the day. See 

 thee, measter Frank. Ay'se gotten 't measter's single 

 barrel; and gin I dunna ootshoot measter Draa — whoy 

 Ay'se deny my coontry!" 



"Most certainly you will deny it then, Tim," answered 

 I, "for Mr. Draw shoots excellently well, and you " 



"And Ay'se shot many a hare by 't braw moon, doon 

 i' bonny Cawoods. Ay'se beat, Ay'se oophaud* it!" So 

 saying, he shouldered the long single barrel, and paddled 

 off with the most eytmorrlinarv expedition after the 

 Teachmans, who had already started, leading the setters 

 in a leash, till they were out of sight of Archer. 



"They have the longest way to go," said Harry, "by a 

 ♦Oophaud, Yorkshire. Anglice, uphold. 



