358 UPLAND SHOOTING. 



and on Mm in a jiffy, and fondles him, not tearing out a 

 feather, seeming to say: " I wish, you would get up and 

 run, so I could have the fun of catching you. It is too 

 bad to kill turkeys so dead as this." Into our blind we 

 get, and in ten or fifteen minutes I yelp again, about as 

 at first, when we immediately hear a young hen, 200 

 yards or more away to my left. Her call is a sort of 

 half -whistle and half -yelp, and that is how I know what 

 she is. I yelp again, a little louder than before, to indi- 

 cate confidence and unconsciousness of danger. She 

 yelps repeatedly, drawing nearer fast. Pretty soon she 

 steps into the opening, as she passes from my left to my 

 front. The faithful gun comes to my face; a quick 

 whistle stops her; the bullet crashes through her, and, 

 with outspread wings, she lies quivering on the ground. 

 This one is gathered in, and we again seat ourselves in 

 the blind. We wait half an hour, but bring nothing in 

 sight, though we have heard yelps in two or three direc- 

 tions. We wait half an hour longer, and have heard four 

 or five turkeys, one that came quite near, but failed to 

 show itself to us. Bob suggests that we go, as we have 

 plenty, and he is growing hungry and tired. I plead for 

 only a few minutes longer; it was a wise thing to do this 

 time, for in less than five minutes an old hen walked 

 shyly into the opening in front of me, and I dropped her 

 dead before either Bob or Jeff knew what I was about. 



"]Srow we will go, as I am even with yoii. Four to 

 four, we stand. Good shooting we have done; and we've 

 had a splendid day, haven't we^' " The best I ever had, 

 and I'll hardly ever have another so good, I fear," Bob 

 responds, as he heaves a big sigh. Leaving Bob ^^ith the 

 turkeys, I go and bring the horses, that soon carry us and 

 our game home, Avhere, of course, we are warmly ■\\'elcomed 

 and given a good dinner by my folks. Jeff assumes 

 guard over the turkeys as tliey hang by their necks to a 



