14 Memoir of Tom Smith. 



lie clashed forward, picked it up, declaring it 

 to be the finest bird that ever was seen ; then 

 having most carefully smoothed its feathers, 

 he placed it almost reverentially in his pocket, 

 saying how delighted his sister. Lady Halsted, 

 would be, as it was the first bird he had ever 

 killed on the wing. Tom professed himself 

 equally delighted, and urged him to reload his 

 gun, as woodcocks were often found two to- 

 gether. The captain proceeded to do so, when 

 he found that his gun had missed fire, and 

 that it was the report of Tom's gun that he 

 had mistaken for his own. Terribly indignant, 

 he tore the bu^d from his pocket, and hurled 

 it at Tom's head, stigmatising him as the 

 greatest humbug he had ever seen. This 

 was rather unfair, as Tom did not know that 

 the captain's gun had missed ^q^ and was 

 quite willing to give him the credit of the 

 shot. Tom, indeed, was rather misunderstood 

 by the Pellews, though he always was on 

 excellent terms with them, and with Dean Pel- 



