The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-07-25
CHAPTER I.
GOBO STRIKES.

itl9H -tsA He had about two thou
sand acres of shooting
ground round the place he bought in
Yorkshire, over q hundred Of which
were wood.
1t was the second year of his occu-
patton of the estate, and already lie
had reared very fair head OF pheas-
ants, for he was an all-around sports
man, and as fond of shooting with a
shotgun as with an eight-bore rifle.
We were three guns that day, Sir
Henry Curtis, old Quatermain, and my
self, but Sir Henry had to leave in
the middle Of the afternoon in order
to meet his agent and inspect an out
lying farm where new shed was
wanted.
He was, however, coming back to
dinner, and going to bring Captain
Good with him, for Brayley Halt was
not more than two miles from the
Grange.
We had met with very fair sport,
considering that We were only going
through outlying covers for cocks.
think that we had killed twenty
seven, a woodcock and leash OF part
ridges, which we had got out OF q
driven covey.
On our way home there lay long,
narrow spinny which was a very ia
vorite "lie' for woodcock, and gener-
ally held pheasant or two as well.
"Well, what do you say" said old
Quatermain-"shall we beat through
this for finish?"
assented, and he called to the keep
Ell, who was following with little
knot of beaters. and told him to beat
the spinny.
''Very well, sir" answered the man;
1'but it's getting wonderful dark, and
the winds rising gale.
1T will take you all your time to
hit a woodcock if the spinny holds
one."
You show Us the woodcock, JEFF
fries" answered Quatermain, quickly,
for he never liked being crossed in any
thing to DO with sport, land we will
look after shooting them.'
The man turned and went rather
Sulkily.
I heard him say to another. keeper:
"He's pretty good, the master is, rm
not saying he isn't, but if he kills
woodcock in this light and wind, Pm
a Dutchmanw
I think that Quatermain heard him,
too, though he said nothing.
The wind was rising every minute,
and by the time the beat began it was
blowing big guns.
/ stood at the right-hand corner of
the spinny, which curved round some
what. and Quatermain stood at the
left, some forty PAGES from me.
Presently an old cock-pheasant came
rocketing .7er me, looking as though
the feathers were all being blown out
of his tail.
missed him clean with the first
barrel, and was never more pleased
with myself in my life than when
doubled him up with the second, for
the shot was not an easy one.
In the faint light / could just see
Ouatermain nodding his head in ap-
proval, when through the groaning OF
the trees I heard the shouts Of the
beaters:
"Cock forward
"Cock to the right
Then came whole voIIey Of shouts:
"Woodcock to the right" Cock to
the left" Cock over"
l looked up. and presently caught
sight of one of the woodcOcks coming
down the wind upon me like flash.
In that dim light I could not follow
his movements as he ZigZaSged
through the naked tree tops; indeed,
I could only see him when his wings
fitted up.
Now he was passing me.
Bang, and flick Of the wing.
j had missed him.
Bang again.
Surely he was down.
No; there he went to my left.
Cock to you" l shouted, stepping
forward so as to get Quatermain be-
tween ME and the faint angry light Of
the dying day, for I wanted to see if
he would wipe my eye
knew him to be wonderful shot,
but that cock would, thought, puzzle
him.
saw him raise his gun ever so little
and bend forward, and at that mo-
ment out flashed two woodcocks into
the open, the one I had missed to his
right, and the other to his left.
At the same time fresh shout arose
of "Woodcock over" and looking down
the spinny 1 saw a third bird high up
in the air, being blown along like a
brawn and whirling leaf straight over
Quatermain's head.
And then followed the prettiest little
bit of shooting that I ever saw.
The bird to the right was flying low,
not ten yards from the line Of the
hedge-row, and Quatermain took him
first because he would become in
visible the soonest of any.
Indeed, nobody who had not his
hawks eyes could have seen to shoot
him.
But he saw him we'll enough to kill
him dead as 4 stone.
Then turning sharply lie pulled on
the second bird at about forty-tiTe
yards, and over he went.
By this time the third woodcock was
nearly over him and flying very high,
straight down the wind. lluRdtcd
feet up or more, ] should say.