had a dog with them, a cocker spaniel
called Bob, but they wanted another. For some reason or other, my master
was very unwilling to have me go. However, he at last consented, and
they put me in the back of the wagon with Bob and the lunch baskets, and
we drove off into the country. This Bob was a happy, merry-looking dog,
and as we went along, he told me of the fine time we should have next
day. The young men would shoot a little, then they would get out their
baskets and have something to eat and drink, and would play cards and go
to sleep under the trees, and we would be able to help ourselves to legs
and wings of chickens, and anything we liked from the baskets.

"I did not like this at all. I was used to working hard through the
week, and I liked to spend my Sundays quietly at home. However, I said
nothing.

"That night we slept at a country hotel, and drove the next morning to
the banks of a small lake where the young men were told there would be
plenty of wild ducks. They were in no hurry to begin their sport. They
sat down in the sun on some flat rocks at the water's edge, and said
they would have something to drink before setting to work. They got out
some of the bottles from the wagon, and began to take long drinks from
them. Then they got quarrelsome and mischievous and seemed to forget
all about their shooting. One of them proposed to have some fun with the
dogs. They tied us both to a tree, and throwing a stick in the water,
told us to get it. Of course we struggled and tried to get free, and
chafed our necks with the rope.

"After a time one of them began to swear at me, and say that he believed
I was gun-shy. He staggered to the wagon and got out his fowling piece,
and said he was going to try me.

"He loaded it, went to a little distance, and was going to fire, when
the young man who owned Bob said he wasn't going to have his dog's legs
shot off, and coming up he unfastened him and took him away. You can
imagine my feelings, as I stood there tied to the tree, with that
stranger pointing his gun directly at me. He fired close to me, a number
of times over my head and under my body. The earth was cut up all around
me. I was terribly frightened, and howled and begged to be freed.

"The other young men, who were sitting laughing at me, thought it such
good fun that they got their guns, too. I never wish to spend such a
terrible hour again. I was sure they would kill me. I dare say they
would have done