Page:A strange, sad comedy (IA strangesadcomedy00seawiala).pdf/138

126 to take a flyer occasionally. Sir Archy privately expressed his surprise at this to Farebrother, who laughed aloud.

"That 's all right down here," he said, still laughing. "There 's game enough for everybody—even the darkeys."

Sir Archy could not quite comprehend this—but he reflected that not much damage could be done by such a piece of ordnance as the old musket. However, he soon changed his mind—for Tom, by hook or by crook, managed to fill a gunny bag which he had concealed about his person quite as soon as Sir Archy and Farebrother filled their bags, and still he gave them all the best shots. Sir Archy's wrath was aroused by some of Tom's unique methods—such as knocking a partridge over with the long barrel of his musket as the bird was on the ground, and various other unsportsmanlike but successful devices. But there was no way of bringing Tom's iniquities home to him, who evidently considered the birds of the air were to be caught as freely as the fishes of the sea. So Sir Archy soon relapsed into silent disgust. He was a superb shot, but Tom Battercake fairly rivaled him, while