more than two miles from the Grange. 

We had met with very fair sport, considering that we were only going
through outlying cover for cocks.  I think that we had killed twenty-
seven, a woodcock and a leash of partridges which we secured out of a
driven covey.  On our way home there lay a long narrow spinney, which
was a very favourite "lie" for woodcocks, and generally held a
pheasant or two as well. 

"Well, what do you say?" said old Quatermain, "shall we beat through
this for a finish?" 

I assented, and he called to the keeper who was following with a
little knot of beaters, and told him to beat the spinney. 

"Very well, sir," answered the man, "but it's getting wonderful dark,
and the wind's rising a gale.  It will take you all your time to hit a
woodcock if the spinney holds one." 

"You show us the woodcocks, Jeffries," answered Quatermain quickly,