THE WOODCOCK 
roused Creaman. He forgot about his weak- 
ness, and hustled the intruder so mercilessly that 
the latter was glad to hide himself under the 
brambles. 
Twilight came all too soon, and with it time 
for the evening flight. Creaman stood up and 
stretched himself stiffly. He left a red smear 
on the leaves where he had been crouching. 
" Hoo-hoo ! " croaked the late intruder over- 
head. A good voice that ! Well, he would 
see whether he could not beat it. He flitted 
from his " lie," and there was the faintest stir 
of listening in the brambles. Therefore, since 
Garrybrack was planted, no woodcock flew 
down that clearing with more dignity than he, 
though every wing-beat drove a pang through 
his side. He turned up the lane, calling so 
clearly that no one could have told how hardly 
his breath was drawn. 
Twice he performed the rite in full, and 
though it was perhaps a little more sostenuto 
than usual, yet he gave each pause and call 
justly. The clip of his wings through the cold 
air warmed him, but he flew stiffly, and he 
knew it. The " cock-shut " light deepened 
into the clarity of the young starlight, as he 
flew above the swamp for the third time. Then 
something seemed to snap, and choking on his 
note, he fluttered feebly down into the bramble 
J 5 
