R EC RE A TION. 



393 



MYSTERY HAD A BEVY IN SOME TALL GRASS. 



not accord with more than one instru- 

 ment at a time, in this orchestra. 



Like other prima donnas she has a 

 series of photographs, and I will tell 

 presently how we got them. We dis- 

 embarked at Whitehall, a little station 

 on the D.,L. & W. road, on one of those 

 genial days of autumn when nature in 

 most beneficent mood had perfected 

 her harvests ; when she overflows with 

 a superfluity of love for her children 

 and scatters her blessings over all the 

 earth. There was a hoar frost on the 

 ground and along the top of the fence 

 as we crawled through the bars at sun- 

 rise. We worked out several likely 

 looking fields without finding birds. 

 Then Mystery disappeared, and Mine 

 Herr whistled till a ragged urchin called 

 out — 



" Mister, are you whistlin' for a dog ? 

 If you is, she's over behind them bushes, 

 en I guess they's suthin the matter with 

 'er, 'cause she's a standin' still with one 

 foot up like they was a briar in it ; en 

 'er chops is a workin' ; en 'er tail is a 

 stickin' out stiff ; en I was a goin' ter 

 stone 'er, only she rolled 'er eyes 'round 



so funny like, it kinder skeered me." 

 Mystery had a bevy in some tall grass, 

 and the old dog pointed a little to one 

 side as we walked up. It was a fine 

 opportunity for a photogragh, and the 

 photographer unlimbered and focussed 

 his camera, blew his fingers and his 

 nose, made two exposures, picked up 

 his gun and walked in. The birds had 

 run a bit and Mystery drew along be- 

 hind him, then pointed again just 

 before they flushed. I ought to write — 

 " We each killed right and left." But, 

 alas ! we did no such thing. We just 

 muffed. But the photographer got one 

 with his second barrel. Mine Herr 

 sagely remarked, "The holes were big- 

 ger than the birds in that bevy." 



Mystery is not like the classic dog that 

 we read of, that looks disgusted and 

 sneaks for home when you miss a shot or 

 two. In fact, she seems rather astonished 

 when some fortunate worries down a bird. 

 Most of these birds had dropped into 

 a bog and it puzzled the dogs for a time 

 to locate them, as they lay like stones 

 under the tussocks; but one by one 

 they were rooted out and brought to 



