very fair, indeed a good, young shot, when I came out
hither--not at all crack, but decidedly better than the common run!--the
first day I shot was on 4th of July, 1832, the place Seer's swamp, the
open end of it; the witness old Tom Draw--and there I missed, in what we
now call open covert, fourteen birds running; and left the place in
despair--I could not, though I missed at home by shooting too quick--I
could not, for the life of me, shoot quick enough. Even you, Frank,
shoot three times as well as you did, when you began here; yet you began
in autumn, which is decidedly a great advantage, and came on by degrees,
so that the following summer you were not so much nonplussed, though I
remember the first day or two, you bitched it badly."

"Well, I believe I must knock under, Harry," Forester answered; "and
here comes Timothy with the coffee, and so we will to bed, that taken,
though I do want to argufy with you, on some of your other notions about
dogs, scent, and so forth. But do you think the Commodore will join us
here to-morrow?"

"No! I don't think so," Harry said, "I know it! Did not he arrive in New
York last first of July, from a yachting tour at four o'clock in the
afternoon; receive my note saying that I was off to Tom's that morning;
and start by the Highlander at five that evening? Did he not get a team
at Whited's and travel all night through, and find me just sitting down
to breakfast, and change his toggery, and out, and walk all day--like a
trump as he is? And did not we, by the same token, bag--besides
twenty-five more killed that we could not find--one hundred and fifteen
cock between ten o'clock and sunset; while you, you false deceiver, were
kicking up your heels in Buffalo? Is not all this a true bill, and have
you now the impudence to ask me whether I think the Commodore will come?
I only wish I was as sure of a day's sport tomorrow, as I am of his
being to the fore at luncheon time!"

"At luncheon time, hey? I did not know that you looked for him so early!
Will he be in time, then, for the afternoon's shooting?"

"Why, certainly he will," returned Archer. "The wind has been fair up
the river all day long, though it has been but light; and the Ianthe
will run up before it like a race-horse. I should not be much surprised
if he were here to breakfast." "And that we may be up in time for him,
if perchance he should let us to bed forthwith," said Frank with a heavy
yawn.

"I am content," answer