2o8 Ruffed Grouse. 



been dusting themselves an hour before, 

 in front of the barn door. Belle and Carrie 

 were curled up in the grass near us, 

 dreaming of grouse that never flushed 

 wild ; and everything was still. The 

 sound of the church-bell down in the vil- 

 lage seemed mellowed as though in har- 

 mony with the color of the beech and 

 maple woods through which its vibrations 

 reached us. 



" Sam ! " said I, " those grouse down 

 by the rock cut will be in the frost grapes 

 this morning, and I 'm going down across 

 the lot to see if I can get near them. 

 Don't let the dogs follow me." 



The dry leaves, a foot deep, along the 

 fence by the grape-vines seemed to rustle 

 louder than they ever did before, as I 

 cautiously climbed over the rails, but no 

 grouse was near to be frightened, and 

 although expecting the sudden dash and 

 whirr every moment, I got near to the 

 farther side of the little patch of vines 

 without starting a bird, and sitting down 

 in the leaves with my back against a 

 mossy boulder, tried to fit it well, and 



