78 How I Became a Sportsman. 



had to give up. Her will was good enough, I 

 believe, but Tom having stopped to help take 

 home the game, I sent him off home with it 

 and Doll. I got six or seven more shots, and 

 killed four and a rabbit, but missed a hare most 

 scandalously, which jumped up from under 

 my feet. The sun was getting near the 

 horizon, and I, having had enough of it, will- 

 ingly adopted my old honest friend's rule, viz. 

 to leave off shooting before sunset, though 

 about that time birds very often come out of 

 their hiding-places after being driven about 

 from pillar to post, and I have known a great 

 many birds killed in a very short time ; but it 

 is most unsportsmanlike, as birds are wanting 

 to go on their feed. As it was I did not reach 

 home until nearly seven o'clock, having nearly 

 four miles to walk to finish up with, having 

 been out fourteen hours. Bag — seven brace 

 of birds, a landrail, and a rabbit. Not much 

 of a bag, and I dare say a good shot would 

 easily have doubled it ; but it was not so 

 very bad for a first attempt ; at all events, 

 on reflection, I was very well satisfied, as I 

 could not be expected to shoot like an old 

 hand at it. 



