150 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



"Hard hit, is he! why, did you get a shot at him?" 



"A fair one," Jem replied; "not three rod oflf from me; 

 he jumped up out of the channel of Stony Brook, where, 

 in ^ sort o' bend, there was a lot of bushes, sumach and 

 winter-green, and ferns; he skeart me, that's a fact, or I'd 

 a killed him. He warn't ten yards off when he bounced up 

 first, but I polled without cocking, and when I'd got my 

 gun fij^ed, he'd got off a little piece, and I'd got nauthen 

 but fox-shot, but I hot him jist in the side of the flank; 

 the blood flew out like winkin', and the hounds arter him 

 like mad, up and down, and round and back, and he a 

 kind of weak like, and they'd overhauled him once and 

 again, and tackled him, but there was only four on them, 

 and so he beat them off like every time, and onned again ! 

 They couldn't hold him no how, till I got up to them, and I 

 couldn't fix it no how, so as I'd git another shot at him; 

 but it was growin' dark fast, and I flogged off the sluts 

 arter a deal o' work, and viewed him down the old blind 

 run-way into the swale eend, where I telled yoii ; and then 

 I laid still quite a piece; and then I circled round, to see 

 it he'd quit it, and not one dog tuk track on him, and so 

 I feels right sartain as he's in that hole now, and will be 

 in the mornin', if so be we goes there in time, afore the 

 sun's up." 



"That we can do easily enough," said Archer, "what do 

 you say, Tom? Is it worth while?" 



"Why," answered old Draw instantly, "if so be only we 

 could be sartain that the darned critter warn't a lyin', 

 there couldn't be no doubt about it; for if the buck did 

 lay up there this night, why he'll be there to-morrow ; and 

 if so be he's there, why we can get him sure!" 



"Well, Jem, what have you got to say now," said the 

 Commodore ; "is it the truth or no ?" 



"Why, darn it all," retorted Jem, "ham't I just told you 

 it was true; it's most blamed hard a fellow can't be be- 

 lieved now — why, Mr. Aircher, did I ever lie to you ?" 



"Oh! if you ask me that," said Harry, '^jon know I 

 must say *Yes!' — for you have, fifty times at the least 

 computation. Do you remember the day you towed me 

 up the Decker's run to look for woodcock 1" 



"And you found nothing," interrupted Tom, "but " 



"Oh shut up, do Tom," broke in Forester, " and let us 



