DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 63 



to haul, 'and you will see what you will see.' As his 

 back straightened a perforated bait-can came up, 

 shed its watery contents, and showed some dozen 

 flopping minnows, one of which I placed upon the perch 

 hook, which I found was bare. 



*0h, give over now; have your tea; and then 

 drive home with us; and you and I' — addressing me 

 — 'will shoot a few rabbits.' 



I consented to go with him for rabbits provided 

 he would moderate his pace to that of cousin Jim's. 



The first half of our tea and cake was buttered 

 with much friendly banter on how we had spent the 

 day and as to the disposal of our fish, and probably 

 the second half would have been so flavoured had not 

 an innocent asked, 'Why is cousin Jim's pace to be 

 adopted?' 



The long man coughed, and the short one gave 

 the reason, — 



'You must see, ladies, that this elongated man is 

 a good eight inches longer than myself, and I have 

 more than once been sorry that those inches are all 

 in his legs, for I have, when walking standing beans 

 wdth him, missed easy shots and lost much moisture. 

 I am therefore grateful to Jim's dog for teaching him 

 that, when shooting, the pace to walk up game is that 

 which suits the shortest legs. Jim, who is slightly 

 podgy — I mean it kindly, Jim — and three inches 

 shorter than I, was a sight that moved my pity when 

 he v/as swinging for a turn, on a certain hot September 

 day, next to George. I knew he would have to give 

 in, but it was none the less pathetic to see him and his 

 dog halt in mid-field. Jim's spaniel was the best- 

 broken dog I ever knew; nothing would cause him to 

 break away, or stray more than a dozen yards for the 

 hottest scent, unless urged to seek a wounded bird, 

 but he was sorely tried by this sudden halt, coming 

 without apparent cause, and when he sat up and 

 saw the man on stilts still going on, he commenced 



