ut which Archer never
takes the field, had severed at a single stroke the weasand of the
gallant brute; the black blood streamed out on the smoking hoar-frost,
the full eyes glazed, and, after one sharp fluttering struggle, the life
departed from those graceful limbs, which had been but a few short
instants previous so full of glorious energy--of fiery vigor.

"Well, that's the strangest thing I ever heard of, let alone seeing,"
exclaimed Archer, "fancy a buck like that lying in such a mere fringe of
coppice, and so near to the road-side, too! and why the deuce did he lay
here till we almost passed him!"

"I know how it's been, any heaw," said Jem, who had by this time come
up, and was looking on with much exultation flashing in his keen small
eye. "Bill Speer up on the hill there telled me jist now, that they druv
a big deer down from the back-bone clear down to this here hollow just
above, last night arter dark. Bill shot at him, and kind o' reckoned he
hot him--but I guess he's mistaken--leastwise he jumped strong enough
jist neaw!--but which on you was 't 'at killed him?"

"I did," exclaimed Tom, "I did by--!"

"Why you most impudent of all old liars," replied Harry--while at the
same time, with a most prodigious chuckle, Tim Matlock pointed to the
white bark of a birch sapling, about the thickness of a man's thigh,
standing at somewhat less than fifteen paces' distance, wherein the
large shot contained by the wire cartridge--the best sporting invention
by the way, that has been made since percussion caps--had bedded
themselves in a black circle, cut an inch at least into the solid wood,
and about two inches in diameter!

"I ken gay and fairly," exclaimed Tim, "'at Ay rammed an Eley's patent
cartridge into 't single goon this morning; and yonder is 't i' t' birk
tree, and Ay ken a load o' shot fra an unce bullet!"

The laugh was general now against fat Tom; especially as the small wound
made by the heavy ball of Harry's rifle was plainly visible, about a
hand's breadth behind the heart, on the side toward which he had aimed;
while the lead had passed directly through, in an oblique direction
forward, breaking the left shoulder blade, and lodging just beneath the
skin, whence a touch of the knife dislodged it.

"What now--what now, boys?" cried the old sinner, no whit disconcerted
by the general mirth against him. "I say, by gin! I killed him, and I
say so yet. Which on ye all--which on ye all daared to go in