their skin by the concussion of the wheels
against the many stones and jogs which opposed their progress.

"Here we are, or at least soon will be. It is but a short half mile
through these woods to Teachman's cottage. Is there a gun loaded, Tim?
It's ten to one we shall have a partridge fluttering up and treeing here
directly; I'll let the dogs out--get away, Flash! get away, Dan! you
little rascals. Jump out, good dogs, Shot, Chase--hie up with you!" and
out they went rattling and scrambling through the brush-wood all four
abreast!

At the same moment Tim, leaning over into the body of the wagon, lugged
out a brace of guns from their leathern cases; Harry's short ounce ball
rifle, and the long single barreled duck gun.

"'T roifle is loaden wi' a single ball, and 't single goon wi' yan of
them green cartridges!"

"Much good ball and buck-shot will do us against partridge;
nevertheless, if one trees, I'll try if I can't cut his head off for
him," said Archer, laughing.

"Nay! nay! it be-ant book-shot; it's no but noomber three; tak' haud
on't, Measter Draa, tak' haud on't. It's no hoort thee, mon, and 't
horses boath stand foire cannily!"

Scarce had Fat Tom obeyed his imperative solicitations, and scarce had
Tim taken hold of the ribbands which Harry relinquished the moment he
got the rifle into his hands, before a most extraordinary hubbub arose
in the little skirt of coppice to our left; the spaniels quested for a
second's space at the utmost, when a tremendous crash of the branches
arose, and both the setters gave tongue furiously with a quick savage
yell.

The road at this point of the wood made a short and very sudden angle,
so as to enclose a small point of extremely dense thicket between its
two branches; on one of these was our wagon, and down the other the
lumber-wain was rumbling, at the moment when this strange and most
unexpected outcry started us all.

"What in t' fient's neam is yon?" cried Timothy.

"And what the devil's that?" responded I and Archer in a breath.

But whatever it was that had aroused the dogs to such an most unusual
pitch of fury, it went crashing through the brush-wood for some five or
six strokes at a fearful rate toward the other wagon; before, however it
had reached the road, a most appalling shout from Jem, followed upon the
instant by the blended voices of all the hounds opening at once, as on a
view, excited us yet farther!

I was still tugging at my double gun, in