SHOOTING THE PRAIRIE GROUSE 409 
manage the team, following slowly in our wake, and 
occasionally marking birds for us, which services she 
rendered in an admirable manner and with a new and 
delightful pleasure to herself. With the four dogs, 
the three of us keeping about two hundred yards apart 
and moving in line as nearly as practicable, each would 
generally find birds enough for his individual shoot- 
ing without disturbing the others or placing them in 
danger; and when one’s pockets became too heavy for 
comfort or convenience he would fall back to the 
wagon and deposit his load. 
Occasionally we met at the wagon, to water the dogs, 
eat lunch, smoke a cigar, look over our birds, and when 
we were thoroughly rested, started out for another 
tramp. Thus we would put in time until about 11 
o’clock, when it was time to bundle ourselves and 
dogs into the wagon and drive back to the hotel for 
dinner, after which, about 3 o’clock, we would find 
ourselves again seated in the wagon and on our way 
for the evening shoot, which usually lasted far into 
the “twilight soft and gray.” To me there is a rare 
and indescribable delight in shooting on a still, quiet 
evening, watching the last rays of the setting sun, and 
the last faint glimmer of light as it quietly passes away 
under the gauzy curtain of night. 
We always found supper awaiting us on our arrival 
home, when, after caring for the dogs and shedding 
our hunting traps, and taking a good bath, we gathered 
about the little round table, doing ample justice to 
broiled chicken and other good things. 
