ar to ear, the exposure of
white teeth and red gums, and the shutting up of glittering eyes,
indicated enjoyment, the attenuated boy must have been in a blissful
condition that day.

"Why don't ye shoot yerself, Mister Flinn?" asked Slagg on one occasion
while reloading.

"Bekaise it shuits me better to look on," answered the self-denying man.
"You see, I'm used to it; besides, I'm a marciful man, and don't care
to shoot only for divarshion."

"What's that?" cried Slagg, suddenly pointing his gun straight upwards
at two brilliant black eyes which were gazing straight down at him.

"Howld on--och! don't--"

Flinn thrust the gun aside, but he was too late to prevent the
explosion, which was followed by a lamentable cry, as a huge monkey fell
into Slagg's arms, knocked him over with the shock, and bounded off his
breast into its native woods, shrieking.

"Arrah! he's niver a bit the worse," cried Flinn, laughing, in spite of
his native politeness, "it was the fright knocked him off the branch.
If you'd only given him wan shot he might have stud it, but two was too
much for him. But plaise, Mister Slagg, don't fire at monkeys again. I
niver do it mesilf, an' can't stand by to see it. It's so like murther,
an' the only wan I iver shot in me life was so like me own owld
gran'mother that I've niver quite got over it."

Slagg willingly promised never again to fire at monkeys, and they
proceeded on their way.

They had not gone far, when another whirring of wings was heard, but
this time the noise was greater than on other occasions.

"What is it?" asked Slagg eagerly, preparing for action.

"Sure it's a pay-cock," said Flinn.

"A what-cock?" asked Slagg, who afterwards described the noise to be
like the flapping of a mainsail.

"A pay-cock. Splendid aitin'. Fire, avic!"

"What! fire at _that_?" cried Slagg, as a creature of enormous size and
gorgeous plumage rose above the bushes. "Ye must be jokin'. I
_couldn't_ fire at that."

"Faix, an' ye naidn't fire at it _now_," returned Flinn with a quiet
smile, "for it's a mile out o' range by this time. Better luck--och! if
there isn't another. Now, thin, don't be in a hurry. Be aisy.
Whatever ye do, be aisy."

While he spoke another huge bird appeared, and as Slagg beheld its size
and spreading wings and tail, he took aim with the feelings of a
cold-blooded murderer. That is to say, he shut both eyes and pulled
both triggers. This double action had bec