10 SNIPE. 
sitting smoking beside it. As I noticed that several sparks from a lump of peat with which one of the 
men was lighting his pipe fell over the lock, I inquired if the charge had been drawn. “ Yes,” remarked 
John the puntman, with the air of one who thoroughly understands his business and has properly 
performed it ; “ she’s washed out, loaded and primed ready for the morning.” On inspecting the lock 
I discovered that the covering to the nipple was simply a piece of brown paper such as Highlanders use 
for tinder, and consequently extremely liable to ignite from a spark ; so I suggested that the gun should 
be placed in the far corner of the room where it would still be protected from the frost *. As nothing, 
however, would satisfy the landlady, who came in at this moment, but the immediate removal of the 
dangerous weapon, I ordered the men to take out the gnu and draw the charge. In less than two 
minutes there was a deafening explosion, followed l)y a fearful crash; the glass was blown in, the lights 
blown out, the landlady fainted, the lassies screamed, and the dogs barked. On rushing out to see what 
had happened, I learned that after cleaning out and loading the gun, the men had carried the rods down 
to the punts when they had gone to see that all was snug for the night. Having no means at hand for 
drawmg the charge, they placed a cap on the nipple, and holding the muzzle in the air with the butt 
steadied on the bricks of the yard had fired the charge, with the result described. On subsequent inquiry 
I found out that John, who had rather a spite against the landlady (as that stern matron had reprimanded 
him for some unbecoming levity she had detected between him and one of the damsels of her estab- 
lishment) had done it in hopes of giving her a fright, without having bestowed a thought on the panes 
o glass that would be blown in by the concussion and naturally fell to my share to pay for. 
* Some gunners have an idea that it is dangerous to allow the frost to get into the barrel of a punt-gun. 
