46 ECHOES OF SPORT 



I am on the south side of the wall ; the field 

 below, which my host commands, has still 

 some stocks in it, but the high field to the 

 north is already being ploughed. In its far 

 corner, Lol, the keeper's son, is doing sentry, 

 and no bird ever escapes his wonderful, young, 

 hawk-like eyes, and he and his little water- 

 wagtail spaniel are likely to have a busy 

 afternoon. 



His father has gone to the corner of the 

 south field, away below me, and in direct line 

 with the other gun. 



The day was so gorgeous and hot that the 

 birds were loath to leave the moor, which gave 

 me ample time to thoroughly enjoy my first 

 quest. I stretched out in the sun and 

 watched the lazy clouds ; great white masses 

 lumbering along as if they were too hot and 

 idle to move at all. The hills to the north 

 lost themselves in filmy blue, those to the 

 south stood out in stronger relief, the road 

 winding in and out, a shining thread, through 

 their billowy green and brown. The air was 

 full of quiet sound : far away the voices of 



