Memoirs Of Joseph Grimaldi

154 MEMOIRS OF JOSEPH GEIMALDI.

"I expected to find pheasants and partridges," answered
both sportsmen together. Bologna, upon whom the sulks were
again beginning to fall, gave a grunt of disapprobation; but
Mackintosh either was, or pretended to be, greatly surprised,

" Pheasants and partridges !" he exclaimed, with a ludicrous
expression of amazement. " Oh dear, quite out of the ques-
tion ! I invited you down here to shoot birds—and pigeons are
birds; and there are the pigeons—shoot away, if you like. I
have performed my part of the agreement. Pheasants and
partridges !" he repeated: " most extraordinary!"

"The fellow's a humbug!" whispered Bologna; "kill as
many of his pigeons as you can."

With this understanding, Bologna fired at random into the
nearest cluster of pigeons, and Ghrimaldi fired upon them as
they rose frightened from the ground. The slaughter was very
great: they picked up twenty in that field, five in the one
beyond, and saw besides several fall which they could not find.
This great success, and the agreeable employment of picking
up the birds, restored their equanimity of temper, and all went
Wfill for some time, until Mackintosh said inquiringly,

" I think, you have them all now ?"

"I suppose we have," replied Bologna; "at least, all except
those which we saw fall among the trees yonder."

" Those you will not be able to get," said Mackintosh.

"Very good; such being the case, we have 'em all," re-
turned Bologna.

" Very well," said Mackintosh, quietly; " and now, if you
mil take my advice, you will cut away at once."

" Gut away!" said Bologna.

" Cut away!" exclaimed Q-rimaldi.

" Cut away is the word!" repeated Mr. Mackintosh.

"And why, pray ?" asked Bologna.

" "Why?" said Mr. Mackintosh. " Isn't the reason obvious ?
—Because you've killed the pigeons."e, rather tended to