was then inserted, with an
equal dose of shot, and all being ready we were soon among the furze. A
half penny decided it was my first shot, and fate further decided that a
water-wagtail should be the mark. I took good aim, as I thought, at
least I took sufficient time, for I followed him with the muzzle of the
gun for three or four minutes at least, as he ran to and fro; at last I
fired. Tommy barked with delight, and the bird flew away. "I think I
must have hit it," said I; "I saw it wag its tail."

"More proof of a miss than a hit," replied Tom. "Had you hit it he'd
never have wagged his tail again."

"Never mind," said I, "better luck next time."

Tom then knocked a blackbird off a furze bush, and loading the gun,
handed it to me. I was more successful than before; a cock sparrow,
three yards distant, yielded to the prowess of my arm, and I never felt
more happy in my life than in this first successful attempt at murder.

Gaily did we trudge over the common, sometimes falling in with
gravel-pits half full of water, at others bogs and swampy plains, which
obliged us to make a circuit. The gun was fired again and again; but
our game-bag did not fill very fast. However, if we were not quite so
well pleased when we missed as when we hit, Tommy was, every shot being
followed up with a dozen bounds, and half a minute's barking. At last
we began to feel tired, and agreed to repose a while in a cluster of
furze bushes. We sat down, pulled out our game, and spread it in a row
before us. It consisted of two sparrows, one greenfinch, one blackbird,
and three tomtits. All of a sudden we heard a rustling in the furze,
and then a loud squeal. It was the dog, who, scenting something, had
forced its way into the bush, and had caught a hare, which having been
wounded in the loins by some other sportsman, had dragged itself there
to die. In a minute we had taken possession of it, much to the
annoyance of Tommy, who seemed to consider that there was no
co-partnership in the concern, and would not surrender his prize until
after sundry admonitory kicks. When we had fairly beaten him off we
were in an ecstasy of delight. We laid the animal out between us, and
were admiring it from the ear to the tip of his tail, when we were
suddenly saluted with a voice close to us. "Oh, you blam'd young
poachers, so I've caught you, have I?" We looked up, and beheld the
common-keeper. "Come--come along with me; we've a nice clink