120 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



plan, and carried his piece always at half cock, till needed 

 — flew to the right across the Commodore; so Frank re- 

 leased his hammer and brought down his Manton, while 



A deliberately covered, and handsomely cut down the 



bird at five-and-twenty yards. 



Grouse made a movement to run in, but came back 

 instantly when called. 



"Just look back, if you please, one moment, before loadr 

 ing," said Harry, "for that down-charge is well worth 

 looking at." 



And so indeed it was — for there, upon the wall-top, 

 where he had been balancing. Chase had contrived to lie 

 down at the gunshot — wagging his stern slightly to and 

 fro, with his white fore-paws hanging down, and his head 

 couched between them, his haunches propped up on the 

 coping stone, and his whole attitude apparently untenable 

 for half a minute. 



"Now, load away for pity's sake, as quickly as you can; 

 that posture must be any thing but pleasant." - 



This was soon done; inasmuch as the Commodore is not 

 exactly one to dally in such matters; and when his locks 

 ticked as he drew the hammers to half-cock, Chase quietly 

 dismounted from his perch, and Shot's head and fore- 

 paws appeared above the barrier; but not till Archer's 

 hand gave the expected signal did the stanch brutes move 

 on. 



''Come, Shot, good dog — it is but fair you should have 

 some part of the fun ! Seek dead ! seek dead ! that's it, 

 sir! Toho! steady! Fetch him, good lad! Well done!" 



In a few minutes' space, four or five more birds came 

 to bag — they had run, at the near report, up the wall side 

 among the bushes, and the dogs footed them along it, now 

 one and now another taking the lead successively, but 

 without any eagerness or raking — looking round constant- 

 ly, each to observe his comrades' or his master's move- 

 ments, and pointing slightly, but not steadily, at every 

 foot, till at the last all three, in different places, stood 

 almost simultaneously — all three dead points. 



One bird jumped up to Frank, which he knocked over. 

 A double shot fell to the Commodore, who held the centre 

 of the line, and dropped both cleverly — the second, a long 

 shot, wing-tipped only. Harry flushed three and killed 



