THE WOODCOCK 
into the wood. The 
dog ranged down the 
lane, but soon gave 
up the search. 
" Shure, it's no man- 
ner o' use takin' thim 
long shots in the 
dark/' the Man told 
himself disgustedly as 
he turned homewards. 
But he recognized this fact too late to help 
Creaman. 
The rest of the woodcock in Garrybrack had 
long since settled down to feed before Creaman 
flew in, and when he alighted by the swamp he 
found that his place was filled. He hustled 
the intruder away, and found her little interested 
in his coming. She probed assiduously for 
food, but Creaman scarcely ate anything. He 
huddled under an alder bush, and tended his 
wounded wing. In the woods there are two 
panaceas employed for all ills, and they cure 
many. The first, time and clean living, man 
has wearied of, and often calls in drugs to 
supplement. In the second massage he has 
rediscovered a remedy which has been used in 
the woods since Nature gave her children bill 
to preen, or tongue to lick with. Creaman 
massaged his wounded sides all night long and 
101 
