72 MELTON AND HOMESPUN 



manage to bowl her over with the contents of my first 

 barrel. Not wishing to burden myself with an extra five 

 or six pounds of dead weight, Miss Lepus is laid on a 

 bed of dry rushes to be called for on the return journey. 



An overhead double shot is next attempted at a wood- 

 pigeon passing high over the rich, autumnal-tinted foli- 

 age of a belt of giant beech trees. Result : A brace of 

 clean misses. 



" But what is ' Jet ' on to now. Steady old girl, 

 steady ! " A barren old redleg, begad, running before 

 the excited dog at a deuce of a bat, and " Jet " half- 

 inclined to chase again ! Up gets the old sinner at a 

 good fifty yards' range, but i|oz. of " No. 6 chilled " 

 proves too heavy a dose for the " Frenchman," and he 

 doubles up instanter. 



" Hallo, here comes the rain ! Well, we'll call this 

 a morning's work, old lady ! " 



