A GAMEKEEPER OF THE OLD SCHOOL 41 



never liked to confess that there was no likelihood 

 of some one else turning up that day. Generally, 

 there were several " pairties " expected, or — " likely 

 he may come himsell." I was never clear who 

 " himsell " might be ; whether it were the owner, 

 who lived far off, in a different part of the country, 

 or the shooting tenant. However, on the present 

 occasion, after my friend and I had been flogging 

 away, with more or less success, for perhaps an 



hour, Mr. K and his keeper really did appear 



on the scene ; and a very delightful specimen of 

 an old country sportsman he proved to be. In the 

 most charming manner, he begged us to go on 

 with our fishing, affirming that he, and his keeper, 

 and Burnside could perfectly well fish three in a 

 boat together — and so it was arranged. 



Unfortunately for the sport of both parties, the 

 wind gradually died away, until the loch took on 

 the semblance of a mirror, only broken by the rings 

 made by many rising trout, few of which, however, 

 could be enticed into our creels. 



As the breeze slackened, the voices from the 

 other boat re-echoed more plainly across the water. 

 Owing to Burnside's deafness, the other two natu- 

 rally pitched their voices in a loud key, so that my 



