FOR YOUNG SHOOTERS 103 



spoiler of conversation, and that is the utterly blank 

 day. And the worst of the blank day is that it is 

 generally incomprehensible. When that beat was 

 shot last year it yielded a good number of head of 

 game. To-day the weather is as fine, the keeper as 

 busy, the beaters as numerous and well disciplined, 

 the dogs as active, the host as keen, and the guns 

 as pleasantly expectant : yet from covert to covert 

 scarce a whirr of wings or a patter of feet disturbs 

 the stillness of the autumn atmosphere. You can't 

 condole with your host for ever. He feels the 

 bitterness of it more keenly than you, and is apt 

 to resent even a hint of condolence. Better say 

 nothing, take your place as appointed, and hope 

 for good luck sooner or later. At the end of the 

 day you can always tell your host, when he is making 

 the air blue with his disappointment, that you've 



* had a grand day in the open air,' that it has been 



* a very nice little sporting day,' and that for your 

 own part you ' don't care about these tremendous 

 days at easy birds. Give me a shot now and then 

 at a difficult bird and I'm content.' However, I 

 need not advise you about this. You've probably 

 said it over and over again on different occasions. 



I began this chapter with the intention of dig- 



