TOM draw's visit TO PINE BROOK. 199 



"Yes, yes — they'se quit sartain," answered a nif^rry 

 voice without, and in stalked John, tlie best fowl-shot, the 

 best snipe-marker, the best canoe-paddler, and the best 

 fellow every way, in New Jersey. 



"How are you, John? — any birds on the Piece?" 



"Nicely!" he answered, to my first query — "nicely," — 

 shaking me warmly by the hand, and, after a pause, added, 

 "I can't say as there be; the Piece is too wet altogether!" 



"Too wet— aye? that's bad, John!" 



"Lord, yes — too wet entirely; I was half over it with the 

 canoe last week, and didn't see — no not half a dozen, and 

 they was round the edges like, where there wasn't no 

 good lying; there was a heap o' yellow legs, though, and 

 a smart chance o' plover." 



"Oh, hang the plover, John; but shall we find no snipe?" 



"Not upon either of the Pieces, no how — but there was 

 heaps of them a flyin' over all last night; yes! yes! I 

 guess Archer and I can fix it so as we'll get a few — but, do 

 tell, who's that darned fat chap as I see goin' down — " 



ITc-ie he was interrupted by the distant report of a heavy 

 gun, followed almost upon the instant by a second. 



"Ding!" he exclaimed, "but there's a flight now! arn't 

 there? I guess now, Mr. Forester, I'd as well jist run 

 down with old Shot, leastwise he'll fetch um, if so be 

 they've fallen in the water." 



"Do! do!" cried I, "by all means, John; and tell them 

 to come back directly; for half the breakfast's on the 

 t'lt'le. i;nd I'll be ready by the time they're here." 



By tht time I had got my jacket on, and while I wtis 

 in the act of pulling up my long fen boots before the 

 cheerful fire, I perceived by the clack of tongues without, 

 that the sportsmen had returned; and the next moment 

 Harry entered, accompanied by Fat Tom in his glory, 

 with no less than two couple and a half of that most 

 beautiful and delicate of wild-fowl, the green-winged teal. 



"That's not so bad, Frank," exclaimed Harry, depositing, 

 as he spoke, his heavy single-barrel in the chimney-corner, 

 and throwing himself into an arm-chair; "that's not so 

 bad for ten minutes' work, is it?" 



"Better, a darned sight," Tom chimed in, "than layin 

 snoozin till the sun is high; but that's the way with these 

 etamal drinkin men, they does keep bright just so long 

 as they keeps a liquorin; but when that's done with, you 



