EMOTIONS OF A RED PARTRIDGE 93

little one,’ said the old fellow to
me; ‘when you see smoke coming
out of the roof, and the door and
shutters opened, it will be a bad day
for us.’

And I believed him, knowing well
this was not his first experience.

In short, the other day at dawn, I
heard myself called very softly from
the furrows—‘ Rufus, Rufus !’

It was the old cock. His eyes
glittered in the strangest way.

‘Quick, quick,’ said he, ‘and do as
I do.’

I followed him, half asleep, twisting
myself between the clods of earth,
without flying, almost without hopping,
likea mouse. We went along the side
of the wood, and I saw, in passing,
that there was smoke coming out of
the chimney of the little house, the
windows were unshuttered, and in front
of the large door, which stood wide
open, were some sportsmen, fully
equipped, with dogs leaping about