Before we met again, however, I had the luck to pick up a third
woodcock, and as I heard another double shot from Archer, and two single
bangs from Draw, I judged that my companions had not been less
successful than myself. At last, emerging from the thicket, we all
converged, as to a common point, toward Tim; who, with his game-bag on
the ground, with its capacious mouth wide open to receive our game, sat
on a stump with the two setters at a charge beside him.
"What do we score?" cried I, as we drew near; "what do we score?"
"I have four woodcocks, and a brace of quail," said Harry.
"And I, two cock and a brace," cried Tom, "and missed another cock; but
he's down in the meadow here, behind that 'ere stump alder!"
"And I, three woodcock and one quail!" I chimed in, naught abashed.
"And Ay'se marked doon three woodcock--two more beside yon big un, that
measter Draa made siccan a bungle of--and all t' quail--every feather on
um--doon t' bog meadow yonner--ooh! but we'se mak grand sport o't!"
interposed Tim, now busily employed stringing bird after bird up by the
head, with loops and buttons in the game-bag!
"Well done then, all!" said Harry.
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