My First of September. 77 



The day had become \ery hot, and poor 

 Doll appeared to suffer very much from want 

 of water, and we could find none. My Lon- 

 doner said he thought the birds seemed very 

 easy to hit (they always do to a looker-on), 

 when I asked him to have a shot, but he 

 declined. Not long after, while he was walking 

 about leading the dog, quietly smoking his 

 pipe, and I dare say thinking there was not 

 much fun in partridge shooting, we saw him 

 standing with the dog making a point almost 

 between his legs, while he was frantically ges- 

 ticulating with his hat. I went up, when a 

 landrail rose from just under the dog's nose, 

 which I bagged ; indeed, I don't see how I 

 could have helped it, it flew so slow. My 

 friend was highly pleased, and I think the 

 bagging this time gave him more satisfaction 

 than all the rest. We then met Tom with the 

 luncheon, and were glad enough to have an 

 hour's rest ; and he, being one of the land- 

 holders of the common, knew where there was 

 a pond of water, so he was despatched for a 

 little, which greatly refreshed the poor dogs ; 

 and when we commenced work again Doll 

 went off very fresh, but she was foot-sore, and 



