QUALLS. 214 
I could do better by separating from the main party, I 
moved to the right, where blackberry and other bushes 
were quite thick, and acted as my own beater and point- 
er. Not being able to rouse any game by that method, I 
became rather listless, and walked heedlessly along, but 
was soon brought to an abrupt halt by the whirring of a 
brace of quails, which rose almost at my feet. I fired 
recklessly at one, but missed it, and, before I could turn 
round, the second had sunk into cover on the left. 
Knowing what my fate would be 1f my comrades learned 
of my scoring a “‘ goose-egg,” I hurriedly put another 
shell in the gun, and marched on as nonchalantly as pos- 
sible. I was joined by one of the party a few seconds 
later, and he asked me if I had missed. Seeing the 
twinkle in his eye, I answered evasively that the gun had 
gone off while I was handling the trigger to see if it was 
all right. 
“‘Oh, that was it, was it?” said he, with a look of 
disappointment. 
Before he could indulge im any more exclamations, a 
bird sprung up out of the grass, not ten yards from him. 
He aimed.at it wildly, fired, and missed. 
‘<1’m in for it,” said he, with the doleful air of a mar- 
tyr, when he saw the fugitive disappearing over the 
ridge, and two of his companions rapidly approaching. 
When they drew near, he hung down his head, dropped 
mechanically into line between them, and, without a 
word being said on either side, they marched him to a 
cottonwood tree and placed his back against it. One 
man then pressed his hand against the culprit’s chest, 
while the other and myself seized him by both shoulders. 
«You'll kind o’ handle me tenderly, won’t you, 
boys?” said he, with an expression intended to be both 
bland and captivating; ‘‘’cause I aint got any other coat 
but this.” 
“Take it off, then,” was the severe reply. 
10 
