They had not made three
steps before both dogs stood stiff as stones in the short grass, where
there was not a particle of covert.
"Why, what the deuce is this, Harry?"
"Devil a know know I," responded he; "but step up to the red dog, Frank
--I'll go to the other--they've got game, and no mistake!"
"Skeap--ske-eap!" up sprang a couple of English snipe before Shot's
nose, and Harry cut them down, a splendid double shot, before they had
flown twenty yards, just as Frank dropped the one which rose to him at
the same moment. At the sound of the guns a dozen more rose hard by, and
fluttering on in rapid zig-zags, dropped once again within a hundred
yards--the meadow was alive with them.
"Did you ever see snipe here before, Tom? asked Harry, as he loaded.
"Never in all my life--but it's full now--load up! load up! for heaven's
sake!"
"No hurry, Tom! Tom--steady! the birds are tame and lie like stones. We
can get thirty or forty here, I know, if you'll be steady only--but if
we go in with these four dogs, we shall lose all. Here comes Tim with
the couples, and we'll take up all but two!"
"That's right," said A---; "take up Grouse and Tom's dog, for they won't
hunt with yours--and yours are the steadiest, and fetch--that's it, Tim,
couple them, and carry them away.
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