Certainly! your well devised improvement is a great thing for a
country!]
Another half hour brought us down at a rattling pace to the village, and
once again we pulled up at Tom's well-known dwelling, just as the day
was breaking. A crowd of loiterers, as usual, was gathered even at that
untimely season in the large bar-room; and when the clatter of our hoofs
and wheels announced us, we found no lack of ready-handed and quick
tongued assistants.
"Take out the horses, Timothy," cried Harry, "unharness them, and rub
them down as quickly and as thoroughly as may be--let them have four
quarts each, and mind that all is ready for a start before an hour.
Meantime, Frank, we will overhaul the game, get breakfast, and hunt up a
wagon for the deer and setters."
"Don't bother yourself about no wagon," interposed Tom, "but come you in
and liquor, else we shall have you gruntin half the day; and if old roan
and my long pig-box wont carry down the deer, why I'll stand treat."
A jorum was prepared, and discussed accordingly, fresh ice produced, the
quail and woodcock carefully unpacked, and instantly re-stowed with
clean straw, a measure which, however, seemed almost supererogatory,
since so completely had the external air been excluded from the
game-box, that we found not only the lumps of ice in the bottom unthawed,
but the flannel which lay over it stiff frozen; the birds were of course
perfectly fresh, cool, and in good condition.
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