As it was not of course our plan to return again to Tom Draw's,
everything was now carefully and neatly packed away; the game, of which
we had indeed a goodly stock, was produced from Tom's ice-house, where,
suspended from the rafters, it had been kept as sound and fresh as
though it had been all killed only on the preceding day.
A long deep box, fitting beneath the gun-case under the front seat, was
now produced, and proved to be another of Harry's notable inventions;
for it was lined throughout, lid, bottom, sides and all, with zinc, and
in the centre had a well or small compartment of the same material, with
a raised grating in the bottom. This well was forthwith lined with a
square yard, or rather more, of flannel, into which was heaped a
quantity of ice pounded as fine as possible, sufficient to cram it
absolutely to the top; the rest of the box was then filled with the
birds, displayed in regular rows, with heads and tails alternating, and
a thin coat of clean dry wheaten straw between each layer, until but a
few inches' depth remained between the noble pile and the lid of this
extempore refrigerator; this space being filled in with flannel packed
close and folded tightly, the box was locked and thrust into the
accurately fitting boot by dint of the exertion of Timothy's whole
strength.
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