184 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



there harn't beeu a gun shot off this three weeks there. 

 Hoel's wife's ben down sick all the fall, and Halbert's gun 

 busted in the critter's hand." 



"Ah! did it hurt him?" 



"Hurt him some — skeart him considerable, though. I 

 guess he's quit shootin' pretty much. But come — here we 

 be, boys. I'll keep along the outside, where the walkin's 

 good. You git next me, and Archer next with the dogs, 



and A inside of all. Keep right close to the cedars, 



A ; all the birds 'at you flushes will come stret out 



this aways. They never flies into the cedar swamp. Archer, 

 how does the ground look?" 



"I never saw it look so well, Tom. There is not near so 

 much water as usual, and yet the bottom is all quite moist 

 and soft." 



''Then we'll get cock for sartain." 



"By George!" cried A , "the ground is like a honey- 

 comb, with their borings; and as white in places with 

 their droppings, as if there had been a snow fall !" 



"Are they fresh di'oppings, A ?" 



"Mark! Ah! Grouse! Grouse! for shame. There he is 

 down. Do you see him Harry ?" 



"Ay ! ay ! Did Grouse flush him ?" 



"Deliberately, at fifty yards off. I must lick him." 



"Pray do ; and that mercifully." 



"And that soundly," suggested Frank, as an improve- 

 ment. 



"Soundly is mercifully," said Harry, "because one good 

 flogging settles the business; whereas twenty slight ones 

 only harass a dog, nnd do nothing in the way of correction 

 or prevention." 



"True, oh king !" said Frank, laughing. "Now let us go 

 on; for, ns the bellowing of that brute is over, I suppose 

 •chastisement has hidden her head.' " 



And on they did go ; and sweet shooting they had of it ; 

 all the way flown to the thick deep spot, known by the 

 pleasing sobriquet of Hell-Hole. 



The birds were scattered everywhere throughout the 

 swamp, so excellent was the condition of the ground; 

 scattered so much, that, in no instance did two rise at 

 once; but one kept flapping up after another, large and 

 lazy, at every few paces: and the sportsmen scored them 

 fast, although scarcely aware how fast they were killing 



