The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-07-14
THE FOUR PIGEONS .. y: y: :S4 !, IS,
July ID, 1906
Copyright 1905 by W. W. Jacobs.)

Mr.. Sutton 'ad another shoot" The
birds was getting scarce and the zen.
tleme1 that anxious to shoot them
there was no 'olding them. Once or
twice the keepers spoke to 'em about
carefulness, and said wot large fam.
lies they'd got, but 1t want much
good. They went on blazing away,
and Just at the corner of the wood
Sam Jones and Peter Gubbins was
both hit; Sam in the leg and Peter in
the arm.
The noise that was made was aw.
ful--everybody shouting that they
'adn't done 1t, and all speaking at
once. and Mr.. Sutton was dancing
about Almost beside 'imself with
rage. Pore Sam and Peter was 'elp-
ed along by the others; Sam being
carried and Peter led, and both of
'em with the idea Of getting all they
could out Of 1t, making such 'orrible
noises that Mr.. Sutton couldn't hear
'imself calling his friends names,
"There seems to be wounded men
calling out all over the place." he
ses, in a temper.
''I think there is another one over
there, sir" SEES one o. the keepers,
pointing.
Sam Jones and Peter Gubbins both
left off to listen, and then they all
heard It distinctly. A dreadful noise
It was, and when Mr.. Sutton and one
or two more follered It up they found
poor Walter Bell lying on is face in
a bramble.
"Wot's the matter?" ses Mr.. SUIT
ton, shouting at i'm.
"I've been shot from behind" sas
Walter. "I'd got something in my
boot, and was just STOPPING down
to fasten 1t up agin when I got It,"
"But there oughtn't to be anybody
ERE" ses Mr.. Sutton to one Of the
keepers.
"They get all over the place. sir
SEES the keeper, scratching his cad
IT fancied card a gun off here a
minute or two arter the others was
shot"
"I believe he's done It 'imself,"
SAYS Mr.. Sutton, stamping his foot.
"I don't see 'ow he could, SIR
ses the keeper, touching his cap and
looking at Walter as was still lying
with is face on Is arms.
They carried Walter 'ome that way
on hurdle, and DR.. Green spent all
the rest o. that day picking shots out
O. them three men and telling 'em 20
keep still. He 'ad to do Sam Jones
by candle-light, with Mrs. Jones old
ing the candle with one hand and
crying with the other. Twice the
doctor told her to keep 1t steady, and
poor Sam 'ad only just passed the
remark, "How 'ot 1t was for Octo-
ber," when they discovered that the
bed was on fire. The doctor said
that Sam was no trouble. He got
of Of the bed by 'imself, and, when
1t was all over and the fire PIT OUT,
the doctor found him sitting on the
stairs with the leg of a broken chair
in is hand calling for is wife.
OF course, there was a terrible to-
do about it in Claybury, and up at
the Hall, too. All of the gentlemen
said as 'ow they hadn't done 1t, aud
Mr.. Sutton was arr crazy with rage.
He said that they 'ad made i'm the
laughing-stock of the neighbourhood,
and that they oughtn't to shoot with
anything but pop-guns. They got 10
such high words over It that two OF
the gentlemen went of 'ome that
very night.
There was lot Of talk up at the
Caulifower, too, and more than one
pointed out 'ow lucky Bob Pretty
was in getting four men out OF the
six in his club. AS I said afore, BOD
was away at the time, but he came
back the next night and we 'ad the
biggest row here you could wish Tor
TO see.
Henery Walker began It. ct s'pose
you've card the dreadful news, Bob
Pretty?" he ses, looking at i'm.
II ave-" ses Bob. "and my art
IA A.