Dave Gittan chipped away at the flint just as the ancient hunters toiled to make the arrow-heads with which they shot the animals which supplied them with food and clothing, the flint-knives with which they skinned and cut up the beasts, and the round sharp-edged scrapers with which they removed the fat and adhering flesh as they dressed and tanned the skins to make them fit to wear.
Dave chipped one gun-flint very accurately, failed to make a second, but was triumphant with the third attempt, and fitting it exactly in the lock of his piece with a piece of leather at top and bottom, he loaded the gun with a great deal of ceremony, measuring the powder with a tiny cup which fitted over the top of his powder-horn, and his shot with the same vessel, so many times filled.
These rammed down in place with some rough paper on the top, and the ramrod measured to see whether it stood out the right distance from the barrel, the pan was primed and closed, and the gun carefully laid ready for use.
"There," cried Dave in an ill-used tone, "I don't know why I'm tekkin' all this trouble for such a pair o' young shacks as you; but come along." "It's because he likes us, Dick," said Tom merrily.
"Nay, that I don't," cried Dave.

"I hate the lot of you.

Not one of you'll be satisfied till you've spoiled all my fen-land, and made it a place where nivver a bird will come." "Why, I wouldn't have it touched if I could help it--St! Dave, what bird's that ?" said Dick.
"Curlew," replied Dave in a low voice, whose tones were imitated by the lads as the boat was softly punted along.

"See them, boys!" He nodded in the direction they were going, towards where a number of birds were flying about over some patches of land which stood just over the level of the water.

Now they looked dark against the sky, now they displayed feathers of the purest white, for their flight with their blunted wings was a clumsy flapping very different to the quiver and skim of a couple of wild ducks which came by directly after and dropped into the water a quarter of a mile ahead.
"You come and see me next spring, my lads, and I'll show you where there's more pie-wipes' eggs than ever you found before in your lives." "But you'll take us one day to the 'coy, Dave ?" said Dick.
"Nay, I don't think I can," said Dave.
"But it's my father's 'coy," said Dick.
"Ay, I know all about that," said the man harshly; "but it wean't be much good to him if he dree-erns the fen." Dave's voice was growing loud and excited, but he dropped it directly and thrust away without making the slightest splash with his iron-shod pole.
As they came near one bed of reeds several coots began to paddle away, jerking their bald heads as they went, while a couple of moor-hens, which as likely as not were both cocks, swam as fast as their long thin unwebbed toes would allow them, twitching their black-barred white tails in unison with the jerking of their scarlet-fronted little heads, and then taking flight upon their rounded wings, dragging their long thin toes along the top of the water, and shrieking with fear, till they dropped into the sheltering cover ahead.
Snipes flew up from time to time, and more curlews and green plovers were seen, offering plenty of opportunities for the use of the gun, as the punt progressed till a long low spit of heathery gravel, about forty feet in length and five wide, was reached, with a patch of reeds across the water about a couple of hundred yards away.
"Is this the place ?" cried Dick excitedly; and upon being answered in the affirmative--"Now, then, what shall we do first ?" "Sit still, and I'll tell you, lads," was the stern reply, as Dave, now all eagerness, secured the boat and landed his net and poles.
"Don't tread on her, my lads," he said.