It was nothing but a graze; and, in an instant, they
were out of sight, the thicket into which they broke rocking
overhead, and marking their progress.
The action over, the heavy artillery came up, in the person of the
Long Doctor with the blunderbuss.
"Where are they?" he cried, out of breath.
"A mile or two h'off, by this time," replied the Cockney. "Lord, Paul
I you ought to've sent an 'ailstone into that little black 'un."
While excusing my want of skill, as well as I could, Zeke, rushing
forward, suddenly exclaimed, "Creation! what are you 'bout there,
Peter?"
Peter, incensed at our ill luck, and ignorantly imputing it to the
cowardice of our native auxiliaries, was bringing his piece to bear
upon his trembling squire - the musket-carrier - now descending a tree.
Pulling trigger, the bullet went high over his head; and, hopping to
the ground, bellowing like a calf, the fellow ran away as fast as his
heels could carry him. The rest followed us, after this, with fear
and trembling.
After forming our line of march anew, we went on for several hours
without catching a glimpse of the game; the reports of the muskets
having been heard at a great distance. At last, we mounted a craggy
height, to obtain a wide view of the country.
