FOR YOUNG SHOOTERS 81 



you can say knife/ This simple inversion of pro- 

 babilities and positions is quite certain to ' go/ A 

 hesitating smile will first creep into the corners 

 of the beater's eye. After an interval spent in 

 grappling with the jest, he will become purple, 

 and finally he will explode. 



During the rest of the day you will hear him 

 repeating your little pleasantry either to himself or 

 to his companions. You can keep it up by saying 

 now and then, ' How many did the constable pocket 

 that last beat ? ' (Shouts of laughter.) Thus shall 

 your reputation as a humorist be established 

 amongst the beating fraternity (' That 'ere Muster 

 Jackson, 'e do make a chap laugh, that 'e do,' is 

 the formula) and if you revisit the same shooting 

 next year, a beater is sure to take an opportunity 

 of saying to you, with a grin on his face, ' Police- 

 man's a comin' out to-day, sir ; I'm a goin' to hev 

 my eye tight on 'im, so as 'e don't pocket no 

 rabbits,' to which you will reply, ' That's right, 

 George, you stick to it, and you'll be a policeman 

 yourself some day,' at which impossible anticipation 

 there will be fresh explosions of mirth. So easily 

 pleased is the rustic mind, so tenacious is the rustic 

 memory. 



G 



