116 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



coverts and backs, with a caressing touch, as though he 

 loved them; and finally, in true Jack Ketch style, tucked 

 them up severally by the neck. Archer was not mistaken 

 in his prognostics — another bevy had run into the dwarf 

 cedars f^om the stubble at the sound of the firing, and 

 were roaded up in right good style, first one dog, and 

 then the other, leading; but without any jealousy or 

 haste. 



They had, however, run so far, that they had got wild, 

 and as there was no bottom covert on the crags, had 

 traversed them quite over to the open, on the far side — 

 and, just as Ai'cher was in the act of warning Forester 

 to hiirry softly round and head them, they flushed at 

 thirty yards, and had flown some five more before they 

 were in sight, the feathery evergreens for a while cutting 

 off the view — the dogs stood dead at the sound of their 

 wings. Then, as they came in sight, Harry discharged 

 both barrels very quickly — the loose shot first, which 

 evidently took effect, for one bird cowered and seemed 

 about to fall, but gathered wing again, and went on for 

 the present — the cartridge which went next, although the 

 bevy had flown ten yards further, did its work clean, and 

 stopped its bird. Frank fired but once, and killed, using 

 his cartridge first, and thinking it in vain to fire the 

 loose shot. The remaining birds skimmed down the hill, 

 and lighted in the thick bushy hedge-row, as Archer had 

 foreseen. 



"So much for Ely!" exclaimed Harry — "had we both 

 used two of them, we should have bagged four then. As 

 it is, I have killed one which we shall not get; a thing 

 that I most particularly hate." 



"That bird will rise again," said Frank. 



"Never!" replied the other, "he has one, if not two, 

 shot in him, well forward — if I am not much mistaken, 

 before the wing — he is dead now ! but let us on. These we 

 must follow, for they are on our line; you keep this side 

 the fence, and I will cross it with the dogs — come with 

 me, Timothy." 



In a few minutes more there was a dead point at the 

 hedgerow. 



"Look to, Frank!" 



"Ay! ay! Poke them out, Tim;" then followed sundry 



