ij6 How I Became a Sportsman. 



himself useful to me in several ways, came up 

 to my cottage and said, as he was coming 

 home from his work on two different evenings, 

 just as it was getting dusk, he had seen two 

 woodcocks crossing a certain place in the road 

 just about a quarter of a mile from my house ; 

 they were coming from the direction of an 

 immense wood, and making their way to their 

 feeding-ground. Now, as I knew the habits of 

 the bird always induced him to take the same 

 regular flight to his supper, I determined to 

 hobble up there ; and having told my friend to 

 come up again in the evening, I dismissed him 

 after taking minute bearings, from his descrip- 

 tion, as to the exact spot where he had seen 

 them crossing. This information made the 

 afternoon pass very pleasantly, and when the 

 time drew near, with the aid of a stick, I made 

 the best of my way to the spot indicated. I 

 waited a long time, and got very cold, and was 

 just fancying they had gone some other road, 

 or they were going to stay at home that even- 

 ing, or, after all, it might be a hoax, when I 

 saw my two long-billed friends coming sailing 

 quickly along. I had only just time to pop ' 

 down my head and get into position, when 



