296 PARTRIDGES 



does any dog appear in the collection 

 only the observant might note that the 

 keeper's cabbages are of a luxuriant 

 growth. 



Turning from these silent witnesses 

 of his woodcraft, frantic demonstrations 

 of joy from a more youthful generation 

 of Neros greet his approach ; the pink- 

 eyed ferret looks expectantly through the 

 narrow bars of its hutch, and as he clicks 

 to the wicket gate behind him, and passes 

 through the little garden, still bright with 

 dahlias and Michaelmas daisies, to his 

 neat cottage home, with its deep thatch 

 and pendent eaves, a savoury smell of 

 cooking tells him that the ' missus ' ever 

 mindful of his wants is already up and 

 about and will soon have a heroic break- 

 fast of bacon and potatoes ready where- 

 with to comfort the inner man. 



Two hours later the white-smocked 

 beaters are tramping up the lane from the 

 village, with many a rustic joke and cackle 

 of laughter, to open the campaign against 

 the partridges, who, little suspecting the 



