SOME REMARKS ON FOREGOING CHAPTERS 263 



them, like good old Mr. Auldjoe, does wear a tall black silk 

 hat with pepper and salt trousers on the moor. No matter 

 either if another dons lavender kid gloves and wears the 

 loudest of checks, provided always he be " safe " and does not 

 misbehave himself like Captain Triptolemus Smallgore Spiller. 

 Avoid all " Bessies," and make the keepers and gillies your 

 friends by considerate and sportsmanlike behaviour. 



Bachelor parties are more apt to run smoothly than those of 

 married men, for if four Benedicts bring their respective wives 

 to an out-of-the-way shooting box, and the ladies are young 

 and good-looking, the chances are great that one of the men 

 will soon be paying more attention to the wife of one of his 

 friends than to his own lawful spouse, which will cause squalls 

 to cloud the horizon. A "gun " should not fail to treat his host 

 as if he were really a bond-fide guest on a visit to him, while 

 especially when on the moor it should not be forgotten to exer- 

 cise courtesy with sportsmanlike behaviour ; for instance, if one 

 " gun " is a stouter, faster walker than the other, the better man 

 should at once suit his pace to that of his companions. 



I have several times tried this plan of taking a gun, and 

 for some seasons was a shareholder in a Shooting Company, of 

 which but the pleasantest reminiscences of good fellowship 

 remain. There were four of us, and for about ^200 a year 

 each, which included all expenses, we passed a happy ten weeks 

 in the Highlands. The bag averaged about seven hundred 

 brace of grouse, while black game, partridges, snipe, and hares 

 made up two thousand head, while as to this could be added 

 the same number of rabbits, it will be seen that according to 

 present prices our little company had invested their money 

 wisely and received good dividends in the shape of health, 

 happiness, and sport. 



Some thirty years ago a friend of mine was not quite so 

 fortunate, and related to me with much indignation the follow- 

 ing story of his adventures. Having answered various adver- 

 tisements, he at length settled to complete Mr. Money Bagge's 



