an and a
woman. Montague drew Miss Vincent--"Little Raindrop in the Mud-puddle."
Then Ollie, who was master of ceremonies, placed them in a long line,
and gave them the direction; and at a signal they moved through the
forest; Following each person were two attendants, to carry the extra
guns and reload them; and out in front were men to beat the bushes and
scare the birds into flight.
Now Montague's idea of hunting had been to steal through the bayou
forests, and match his eyes against those of the wild turkey, and shoot
off their heads with a rifle bullet. So, when one of these birds rose
in front of him, he fired, and the bird dropped; and he could have done
it for ever, he judged--only it was stupid slaughter, and it sickened
him. However, if the creatures were not shot, they must inevitably
perish in the winter snows; and he had heard that Robbie sent the game
to the hospitals. Also, the score was being kept, and Miss Vincent, who
was something of a shot herself, was watching him with eager
excitement, being wild with desire to beat out Billy Price and Chappie
de Peyster, who were the champion shots of the company. Baby de Mille,
who was on his left, and who could not shoot at all, was blundering
along, puffing for breath and eyeing him enviously; and the attendants
at his back were trembling with delight and murmuring their applause.
So he shot on, as long as the drive lasted, and again on their way
back, over a new stretch of the country. Sometimes the birds would rise
in pairs, and he would drop them both; and twice when a blundering
flock took flight in his direction he seized a second gun and brought
down a second pair. When the day's sport came to an end his score was
fifteen better than his nearest competitor, and he and his partner had
won the day.
They crowded round to congratulate him; first his partner, and then his
rivals, and his host and hostess. Montague found that he had suddenly
become a person of consequence. Some who had previously taken no notice
of him now became aware of his existence; proud society belles
condescended to make conversation with him, and Clarrie Mason, who
hated de Peyster, made note of a way to annoy him. As for Oliver, he
was radiant with delight. "When it came to horses and guns, I knew
you'd make good," he whispered.
Leaving the game to be gathered up in carts, they made their way home,
and there the two victors received their prizes. The man's consisted of
a shaving
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