The hydraulic press., 1860-12-15

will alarm those in the ponds and that's
where we are to place reliance for doing the
greatest amount of execution;
When we got to the ponds, it was agreed
we should divide off.
Il will remain here" said Flummy, reach
| ing for a small basket in my hand. which
contained lunch and a pint bottle of brandy
and deposlting the same behind thick
bunch of reeds, on the margin of marsh !;
II viii remain here concealed while you
make circuit of the ponds, and rouse up
the game. You can shoot as il rises, and
we'll see who counts most. pairs when the
sports over"
This seemed fair proposition, and un-
dertook the discharge of my portion of it
with alacrty. | made wide detour, that
no spot of the field should be left unlimited
| struggled through miry bogs, waded knee
deep into broad lakes of water, toiled amid
the high grass and tues-in fact labored at
the sport with as much zeal and effort as
though | were pursuing il for an avocation.
The perspiration dripped from my brow and
the slough-water from my lower extremities
Nevertheless, for while the excitement was
glorious. Countless thousands of ducks
were in view, constantly skimming the ponds,
yet at so discreet distance, that notwith-
stand | kept up an incessant cannonading,
never a feather was moulted After some
time this became rather dscouraging and
finding myself long distance from the spot
where Flummy had sought conceament,
turned my steps in his direction, completing
the arc of a circle round the ponds. heard
his gun at frequent intervals, from the mo-
ment my own became silent and I observed
it as a curious feature in the days proceed
Jugs, that most of the ducks which had
alarmed from their propriety, flew off in
direct line towards FUNNY This showed
how fortunate it was in him to be the man
who had contented himself to sit down at
the stationl
When reached Flummy, / WAS greatly IA
tigped, and nearly ravenous with hunger
He was in the act of gniting q match, to
apply to a cigar in his mouth.
"What luck, Spangles p said he, as ap-
preached the spot where he stood
"Devilish bad" said /, giving way to a
temporary ebpllition of feeling, and throwing
myself in the long grass at his feet.
''Sor7y for it," said he; ''but look there y
pointing to a pile of dead Spoon bills, Teal,
Mallards and Wood-duck, the size of an or
dnary hay-cock.
'Good' said I, considerably Modified
"but, first and foremost, FUNNY, let US pro-
ceed to discuss the lhnch.'
'.The lunch p said he, with an ingenious
surprise which caused me to sympathise for
his embarrassment 'the lunch Why.
supposed you had taken along in your pock-
cts what you desired, and ate the rest
"Think nothing Of it, old fellow said I,
'and let's have a mutual pull at the bottle
''Here's thunder to play again." exclaimed
FUNNY, an expression of sorrow beclouding
his face; Il was trying the quality OF the bran
dy, when flock of ducks few over my head.
Forgetful of everything else but the shot,
the bottle slipped from my fingers, and before
| could recover 1t again, the contents had
spilled upon the ground. And as a still
further streak of ill-luck," he continued with
animation. well assured he read forgiveness
in my countenance; ''as stopped down to
drink the cigars rolled ont of my breast
pocket into the water, and were ruined. In
my anger, crushed them and thrust them
Gown into my gun, upon the top of the shot,
for waddng. Every one of them destroyed
excepting this" he said. taking the lighted
cigar from his mouth, and knocking the ashes
from it with his little fngcr-'which, bnt
that fortunately had it in my mouth at
the time, would have shared the same fate
as the others
| could not but smile ct the discrepancy
in Flummy's story; but knowing his strict
honesty of intention, and fearing that
might unnecessarily wound his feelings by
referring to it. sought to divert his mind
into other channels of thought.
"Yes,' said |. II know how many ridict.-
lous things one is likely to do, under excite
ment. Here is an evidence" said [, holding
up my gun. with the breech shattered 'thot
did dashing it against the ground, after
missing with both barrels, when the game
was hardly ten feet removed from, the muz-
zlesn
Flummy laughed inordnately In fact
joined him in his merriment, and the most
cordial relations were at once renewed be-
tween US. | was more than pleased at the
good fortune which attended Flummy's eff
forts, if my own had been unsuccessful, and
didn't for a moment hesitate TO tell him so.
4 brief consultation was held between us,
when it was concluded we should proceed
at once to Spikes house, and send him out
with the buggy for the game. Spikes was
entirely agreeable to the suggestion and an
hour after nightfal, had game, horse and
buggy conveniently slowed to await orders
Mrs. Spikes gave us an excellent supper.
When bedtime arrived, felt drowsy and
stupid | found it impossible to get my
boots off, and had to cut them. They were
run down at the heels and pretty much used
up, anyhow. My whole suit was damaged
beyond redemption. l was wet through to
the skin, and, between the sheets, even with
the animal heat borrowed from Flummys
body, coiled comfortably beside me, it was
impossible to get much rest or sleep during
the night My bones ached. tossed, pitched
and snifiied. The fact was, | had caught
violent cold FUNNY rested like an angel,
and snored with the vetenence of trooper.
In the morning my voice was husky. My
clothes were still damp. | managed to get
them on, however. Breakfast over, and
felt better. The hot coffee produced this
revivifying effect-or it might have been the
| tansey- -bitters which Spikes set out just pre-
yious to our eating.