THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



and well-timbered park, Perron, the keeper, appeared in sight. 

 ' Give him a holloa, Robson,' said our hero ; and in h've minutes 

 Perren was at his young master's side. 



' Perren,' said he, ' I want to have a word or two with yon, as 

 I am about to leave home. You must get rid of all those slow, 

 lumbering pointers of yours, and, before next August, bo pro- 

 vided with two brace of down-charge setters, and a brace of 

 Newfoundland retrievers, for I shall be in Scotland for the 

 grousing season.' 



' In Scotland, sir ! ' exclaimed the keeper. 



' Yes,' answered his young master, — strangely altered, by 

 the bye, in the old keeper's eyes since that time last year. ' Sir 

 John, and myself, and young Lord Dauntley, have taken a 

 shooting-ground of one of the great Scotch dukes, for which 

 we are to pay £400.' 



' But the setters, sir,' resumed the keeper ; ' right good 

 ones are very difficult to get. And then the money to get 'em 

 with.' 



' Oh ! leave that to me,' continued Frank. 



' But the " down-charge," sir. I reckon we shall make a bad 

 job of that, sir : I never zead a down-charge dog in my life, 

 though I have beared Sir John's keeper speaking of them.' 



' Oh ! leave that to mo,' was once more the clincher. ' I shall 

 send them into Cheshire, to old Potts, the watchmaker, who 

 breaks them for ten pounds apiece.' 



' Ten pounds for breaking a dog ! ' exclaimed the keeper, 

 with his eyebrows half-way up his forehead, and liis little pig 

 eyes opening as wide as he could stretch them. ' Did you ever 

 hear of such a thing, Mr. Robson ? — the man must be a bic; 

 rogue.' 



' Not at all,' resumed Frank ; ' it is money well laid out. 

 Lord Dauntley tells mo he can bring four setters, broke by him, 

 into the tield, not one of which will stir, after the bird is dov/n, 

 till called by its name. For example — if Dash makes the point. 

 Dash is first on his legs again, not one of the others stirring 

 until their names are called. See what an advantage this gives 

 you with wounded or scattered birds ! He refused a hundred 

 guineas for the two brace of dogs.' 



' Well, to be sure,' observed Perren, ' his lordship has a chance 

 to get his money back, but ' 



'Oh! botheration to getting the money back, you slow old 



i59 



