Then the shepherd came up, rather stiff on his legs from rheumatism, and stepped the distance, declaring it was thirty yards good; after which we all walked home in triumph.
Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work.

She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors.

It seemed so unjust.

Looking back, I recollect she had very beautiful brown eyes.
'You mind you chaws the shot well, measter,' said the shepherd, 'afore you loads th' gun.

The more you chaws it the better it sticks the-gither, an' the furder it kills um;' a theory of gunnery that which was devoutly believed in in his time and long anticipated the wire cartridges.