198 TOM draw's visit to pine brook. 



the big swamp, it was clear all over the firmament; with a 

 dark, dark blue sky, and millions of stars twinkling gayly 

 — and the wind blowing freshly but pleasantly out of the 

 nor-norwest ! 



"Did I not tell you so, boys?" exclaimed Archer, joy- 

 ously pointing with his whip to the bright skies — "we'll 

 have a glorious day to-morrow." Just as he spoke, we 

 reached the little toll-gate by the Morris Canal; and, as 

 we paused to change a fifty cent piece, what should we 

 hear, high in air, rapidly passing over our heads, but the 

 well-known "skeap! sheapf" the thin shrill squeak of un- 

 numbered snipe, busy in their nocturnal voyage; and with- 

 in an hour thereafter we arrived at our journey's end, 

 where a glass all round of tip-top champagne brandy — a 

 neat snug supper of capital veal cutlets, ham and eggs, and 

 pork steaks and sausages, finished the day, and tired 

 enough, we went to bed early and dreamed. 



THE SNIPE. 



"What sort of a morning is it, Timothy?" asked I, rub- 

 bing my eyes, as I sat bolt upright in bed on the irruption 

 of that fidus Achates, some half hour before sunrise, into 

 my little dormitory "What sort of a morning is it?" 



"A varry bonny mornin, Measter Frank," responded he; 

 "there was a leetle tooch o' whaite frost aboot midnaight, 

 but sin' t' moon set, there's been a soop o' warm ra-ain, 

 and it's dool noo, and saft loike, wi' t' wind sootherlj- — 

 but it's boon to be nooght at all, Ayse warrant it. T' 

 Soon'll be oot enoo — see if he beant — and t'snaipe '11 laie 

 laike steens. Ayse awa noo, and fetch t' hot watter — t' 

 veal cootlets is i' t' pann, and John Van Dyne he's been 

 a wa-aiting iver sin 't got laight." 



"That's not very long, then," answered I, springing out 

 of bed, "at all events; for it's as dark as pitch now; bring 

 me a candle, I can't shave by this light ; there ! leave the 

 door into the parlor open, and tell John to come in and 

 amuse me while I'm shaving. Is Mr. Archer up V' 



"Oop? Weel Ay wot he is oop; and awa wi' Measter 

 Draa, and t'lang goons, doon to t' brigg ; to watch t' dooeks 

 flay, but Van Dyne says t' dooeks has dean flayinar." 



