He was nodding like a sleepy man, and seemed with difficulty to
retain his foot-hold. While I was gazing, he let go, pitched headlong,
fluttered his wings in the death-struggle, yet in air, and struck the
ground close at my feet, stone-dead. Tom's first shot had cut off the
whole crown of the head, with half the brain and the right eye; and
after that the bird had power to fly five or six hundred yards, and then
to cling upon its perch for at least ten minutes.
Rejoining my companions, we again went onward, slaying and bagging as we
went, till when the sun was at meridian we sat down beside the brook to
make our frugal meal--not to-day of grilled woodcock and champagne, but
of hard eggs, salt, biscuit, and Scotch whiskey--not so bad either--nor
were we disinclined to profit by it. We were still smoking on the marge,
when a shot right ahead told us that our out-skirting party was at hand.
All in an instant were on the alert; in twenty minutes we joined forces,
and compared results. We had twelve grouse, five rabbits, seventeen
woodcock; they, six gray squirrels, seven grouse, and one solitary cock
--Tim, proud as Lucifer at having led the field.
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