44 ECHOES OF SPORT 



makes his preparations to settle himself down, 

 for hours maybe, to the north side of the wall, 

 about fifty or sixty yards below the gate. 

 Now he and I are on those most delightful 

 terms, long past all the old milestones of 

 politeness and conventional good manners, 

 where the host proffers his best, which the 

 guest accepts for fear of seeming ungrateful 

 or unappreciative. We are on the better 

 ground of true friendship, where one pleases 

 the other best by doing what they each most 

 wish. I know that " Maister Chairles," as 

 the keeper calls him, having spread out his old 

 coat to sit on, lit his pipe, and made his bristly 

 Irish terrier squat beside him, will not take the 

 gate stand were I at the North Pole, and so I 

 too know I may please myself without seem- 

 ing churlishly to refuse what he in his unselfish 

 kindness chose to offer me as the best place. 

 He is a sportsman of many years' standing 

 and experience, of infinite patience and 

 powers of silent, immovable waiting, which I, 

 the novice, can abundantly admire but cannot 

 altogether emulate. He comes to the stub- 



