WARWICK WOODLANDS. 183 



in and win," than he would have been to do the like 

 himself. 



Exactly at two o'clock, by A 's rei>eater, the last 



bird was bagged; making twenty-seven quail, forty-nino 

 snipe, two ruifed grouse, and one woodcock, bagged in 

 about five hours. 



"So far, this is the very best day's sport I ever saw," 

 said Archer; "and two things I have seen which I never 

 saw before; a whole bevy of quail killed without the 

 escape of one bird, and a whole bevy killed entirely by 



double shots, except the odd bird. You, A , have killed 



three double shots — I have killed three — Tom Draw one 

 double shot, and the odd bird — and Master Frank there, 

 confound him, six double shots running — the cleverest 

 thing I ever heard of, and, in Forester's case, the best 

 shooting possible. I have missed one bird, you two, and 

 Tom three." 



"But Tom beant a goin' to miss no more birds, I can 

 tell you, boy. Tom's drinked agin, and feels kind o' 

 righter than he did — kind o' first best! You'd best all 

 djrink, boys — the spring's handy, close by here; and 

 after we gits down acrost the road into the big swamp, and 

 Hell-Hole, there arn't a drop o' water fit to drink, till we 

 gits way down to Aunt Sally's big spring-hole, jest to 

 home." 



"I second the motion," said Harry; "and then let us be 

 quick, for the day is wearing away, and we have got a long 

 beat yet before us. I wish it were a sure one. But it is 

 not. Once in three or four years we get a grand day's 

 sport in the big swamp ; but for one good day we have ten 

 bad ones. However, we are sure to find a dozen birds or 

 so in Hell-Hole; and a bevy of quail in the Captain's 

 swamp, shan't we, Tom?" 



"Yes, if we gits so far; but somehow or other I rather 

 guess we'll find quite a smart chance o' cock. Captain 

 Reed was down there a' Satterday, and he saw heaps on 

 'em." 



"That's no sure sign. They move very quickly now. 

 Here to-day and there tomorrow," said Archer. "In the 

 large woods especially. In the small places there are 

 plenty of sure finds." 



"There harn't been nothing of frosts yet keen enough 

 to stir them," said Tom. "I guess we'll find them. And 



