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beautiful brown bird with a long beak flitting towards me through the
tops of the oak trees。
〃Am I to shoot at that？〃 I asked。
〃Of course。 It is a woodcock；〃 answered Scroope。
By this time the brown bird was rocking past me within ten yards。 I
fired and killed it； for where it had been appeared nothing but a
cloud of feathers。 It was a quick and clever shot； or so I thought。
But when Charles stepped out and picked from the ground only a beak
and a head； a titter of laughter went down the whole line of guns and
loaders。
〃I say； old chap；〃 said Scroope； 〃if you will use No。 3 shot； let your
birds get a little farther off you。〃
The incident upset me so much that immediately afterwards I missed
three easy pheasants in succession； while Van Koop added two to his
bag。
Scroope shook his head and Charles groaned audibly。 Now that I was not
in competition with his master he had become suddenly anxious that I
should win； for in some mysterious way the news of that bet had
spread； and my adversary was not popular amongst the keeper class。
〃Here you come again；〃 said Scroope； pointing to an advancing
pheasant。
It was an extraordinarily high pheasant； flushed； I think； outside the
covert by a stop； so high that； as it travelled down the line；
although three guns fired at it； including Van Koop； none of them
seemed to touch it。 Then I fired； and remembering Lord Ragnall's
advice； far in front。 Its flight changed。 Still it travelled through
the air； but with the momentum of a stone to fall fifty yards to my
right； dead。
〃That's better！〃 said Scroope； while Charles grinned all over his
round face； muttering：
〃Wiped his eye that time。〃
This shot seemed to give me confidence； and I improved considerably；
though； oddly enough； I found that it was the high and difficult
pheasants which I killed and the easy ones that I was apt to muff。 But
Van Koop； who was certainly a finished artist； killed both。
At the next stand Lord Ragnall； who had been observing my somewhat
indifferent performance； asked me to stand back with him behind the
other guns。
〃I see the tall ones are your line； Mr。 Quatermain；〃 he said； 〃and you
will get some here。〃
On this occasion we were placed in a dip between two long coverts
which lay about three hundred yards apart。 That which was being beaten
proved full of pheasants； and the shooting of those picked guns was
really a thing to see。 I did quite well here； nearly； but not
altogether； as well as Lord Ragnall himself； though that is saying a
great deal； for he was a lovely shot。
〃Bravo！〃 he said at the end of the beat。 〃I believe you have got a
chance of winning your ￡5； after all。〃
When； however； at luncheon； more than an hour later； I found that I
was thirty pheasants behind my adversary； I shook my head； and so did
everybody else。 On the whole； that luncheon； of which we partook in a
keeper's house； was a very pleasant meal； though Van Koop talked so
continuously and in such a boastful strain that I saw it irritated our
host and some of the other gentlemen； who were very pleasant people。
At last he began to patronize me； asking me how I had been getting on
with my 〃elephant…potting〃 of late years。
I replied； 〃Fairly well。〃
〃Then you should tell our friends some of your famous stories； which I
promise I won't contradict；〃 he said； adding： 〃You see； they are
different from us； and have no experience of big…game shooting。〃
〃I did not know that you had any； either； Sir Junius；〃 I answered；
nettled。 〃Indeed； I thought I remembered your telling me in Africa
that the only big game you had ever shot was an ox sick with the red…
water。 Anyway； shooting is a business with me； not an amusement； as it
is to you； and I do not talk shop。〃
At this he collapsed amid some laughter； after which Scroope； the most
loyal of friends； began to repeat exploits of mine till my ears
tingled； and I rose and went outside to look at the weather。
It had changed very much during luncheon。 The fair promise of the
morning had departed； the sky was overcast； and a wind； blowing in
strong gusts； was rising rapidly； driving before it occasional
scurries of snow。
〃My word；〃 said Lord Ragnall； who had joined me； 〃the Lake covert
that's our great stand here； you knowwill take some shooting this
afternoon。 We ought to kill seven hundred pheasants in it with this
team； but I doubt if we shall get five。 Now； Mr。 Quatermain； I am
going to stand Sir Junius Fortescue and you back in the covert； where
you will have the best of it； as a lot of pheasants will never face
the lake against this wind。 What is more； I am coming with you； if I
may； as six guns are enough for this beat； and I don't mean to shoot
any more to…day。〃
〃I fear that you will be disappointed；〃 I said nervously。
〃Oh； no； I sha'n't；〃 he answered。 〃I tell you frankly that if only you
could have a season's practice； in my opinion you would make the best
pheasant shot of the lot of us。 At present you don't quite understand
the ways of the birds； that's all； also those guns are strange to you。
Have a glass of cherry brandy； it will steady your nerves。〃
I drank the cherry brandy； and presently off we went。 The covert we
were going to shoot； into which we had been driving pheasants all the
morning； must have been nearly a mile long。 At the top end it was
broad； narrowing at the bottom to a width of about two hundred yards。
Here it ran into a horse…shoe shaped piece of water that was about
fifty yards in breadth。 Four of the guns were placed round the bow of
this water； but on its farther side； in such a position that the
pheasants should stream over them to yet another covert behind at the
top of a slope； Van Koop and I； however； were ordered to take our
places； he to the right and I to the left； about seventy yards up the
tongue in little glades in the woodland； having the lake to our right
and our left respectively。 I noticed with dismay that we were so set
that the guns below us on its farther side could note all that we did
or did not do； also that a little band of watchers； among whom I
recognized my friend the gunsmith； were gathered in a place where；
without interfering with us； they could see the sport。 On our way to
the boat； however； which was to row us across the water； an incident
happened that put me in very good spirits and earned some applause。
I was walking with Lord Ragnall； Scroope and Charles； about sixty
yards clear of a belt of tall trees； when from far away on the other
side of the trees came a cry of 〃Partridges over！〃 in the hoarse voice
of the red…waistcoated Jenkins； who was engaged in superintending the
driving in of some low scrub before he joined his army at the top of
the covert。
〃Look out； Mr。 Quatermain； they are coming this way；〃 said Lord
Ragnall； while Charles thrust a loaded gun into my hand。
Another moment and they appeared over th