THE EARTH-STOPPER 113 



are the keeper's perquisites, and consequently they 

 are disposed to destroy foxes." 



No doubt about it, and therefore the remedy is 

 not to let the keeper have rabbits. Some people 

 will say they won't come without. Won't they, 

 indeed ! We know a gentleman who advertised for 

 a keeper, and had thirty applications in one week. 

 Keepers are not like Huntsmen or Whips, men that 

 are difficult to meet with. As Mr. Grantley 

 Berkeley, the great game authority of the day, says, 

 " Any man who can shoot a hawk sitting will do for a 

 keeper." 



"It is a difficult thing," adds Mr. Smith, "to know 

 how to act with them ; but it is much the wisest plan 

 to treat them civilly, even if they are doubtful, until 

 proofs can be brought against them that they do 

 destroy foxes against their master's will; for there 

 are many keepers most highly respectable men, and 

 indeed, under any circumstances, it is the height of 

 folly to abuse them openly, as is too often done." 



Mr. Smith afterwards relates an anecdote of a most 

 righteous keeper, who, being accused of killing cubs, 

 which he offered to take any sized oath he did not, 

 on the act being brought home to him, candidly said, 

 " Well, then, I did do it ; for it would be unnatural 

 in me not to kill what I was brought up to do." 



We are, however, getting rather off the line, but 

 keepers are so connected with foxes and Earth- 

 stoppers, that we could hardly avoid touching upon 

 them. We agree with Mr. Smith that there are many 

 highly respectable men among keepers, men who are 

 really fond of hunting, and we are not sure that in 

 some instances where they are blamed, the fault is 

 with the Earth-stopper. Of course an Earth-stopper 

 cannot " ring " the foxes out at a certain hour, as the 

 bellman does the merchants on the Royal Exchange, 

 and he must just " stop " at the likeliest time for the 

 majority to be roaming ; and, if any stay at home 

 8 



