THE PIONEERS. 49

of alarmed birds seemed, for a moment, thrown into one disorderly and agitated mass. The air was filled with their irregular flights, layer rising over layer, far above the tops of the highest pines, none daring to advance beyond the dangerous pass; when, suddenly, some of the leaders of the feathered tribe shot across the valley, taking their flight directly over the village, and the hundreds of thousands in their rear followed their example, deserting the eastern side of the plain to their per secutors and the fallen. " Victory !" shouted Richard, " victory ! we have driven the enemy from the field." " Not so, Dickon," said Marrnaduke ; " the field is covered with them ; and, like the Leather- stocking, 1 see nothing but eyes, in every direc tion, as the innocent sufferers turn their heads in terror, to examine my movements. Full one half of those that have fallen are yet alive : and I think it is time to end the sport ; if sport it be." "Sport!" cried the Sheriff; "it is princely sport ! There are some thousands of the blue- coated boys on the ground, so that every old wo man in the village may have a pot-pie for the asking." " Well, we have happily frightened the birds from this side the valley," said Marmaduke, " and our carnage must of necessity end, for the present. Boys, I will give thee sixpence a hun dred for the pigeons' heads only ; so go to work, and bring them into the village, where I will pay you." This expedient produced the desired effect, for every urchin on the ground went industriously to work to wring the necks of the wounded birds. Judge Temple retired towards his dwelling with that kind of feeling, that many a man has expe rienced before him, who discovers, after the VOL. II. 5