Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/247

189 THE PICKWICK CLUB. 189

limbs. On so inviting- a morning, too, it was very tantalising to turn back, and leave his friends to enjoy themselves. It was, therefore, with a very rueful air that he replied, — " Why, I suppose I must."

♦* An't the gentleman a shot, Sir?" inquired the long gamekeeper. " No," replied Wardle ; " and he's lame besides."

" I should very much like to go," said Mr. Pickwick — " very much."

There was a short pause of commiseration.

" There's a barrow t'other side the hedge," said the boy. " If the gentleman's servant would wheel along the paths, he could keep nigh us, and we could lift it over the stiles and that."

" The wery thing," said Mr. Weller, who was a party interested, inasmuch as he ardently longed to see the sport. " The wery thing. Well said. Small-check ; I'll have it out, in a minute."

But here a difficulty arose. The long gamekeeper resolutely pro- tested against the introduction into a shooting-party, of a gentleman in a barrow, as a gross violation of all established rules and precedents.

It was a great objection, but not an insurmountable one. The game- keeper having been coaxed and feed, and having, moreover, eased his mind by " punching" the head of the inventive youth who had first suggested the use of the machine, Mr. Pickwick was placed in it, and off the party set ; Wardle and the long gamekeeper leading the way, and Mr. Pickwick in the barrow, propelled by Sam, bringing up the rear.

" Stop, Sara," said Mr. Pickwick, when they had got half across the first field.

" What's the matter now ? " said Wardle.

" I won't suffer this barrow to be moved another step," said Mr. ■Pickwick, resolutely, " unless Winkle carries that gun of his, in a different manner."

" How am I to carry it? " said the wretched Winkle.

" Carry it with the muzzle to the ground," replied Mr. Pickwick.

" It's so unsportsman-like," reasoned Winkle.

" I don't care whether it's unsportsman-like or not," replied Mr. Pickwick ; " I am not going to be shot in a wheelbarrow, for the sake of appearances, to please anybody."

" I know the gentleman '11 put that ere charge into somebody afore he's done," growled the long man.

♦ " Well, well — I don't mind," said poor Mr. Winkle, turning his gun stock uppermost ; — " there."

" Anythin' for a quiet life," said Mr. Weller ; and on they went again.

" Stop," said Mr. Pickwick, after they had gone a few yards further.

" What now? " said Wardle.

" That gun of Tupman's is not safe : I know it isn't," said Mr. Pickwick.

" Eh ? What i not safe ? " said Mr. Tupman, in a tone of great alarm.