72 THE GROUSE 



of our inferior neighbours. We are game — ' fair 

 game, 1 I believe, is the technical expression — with 

 a strong smell, a market value, and (I am led to 

 understand) the most delicious flavour. For these 

 privileges we have, of course, to incur a certain 

 amount of what I may term responsibility. To 

 the timid and apprehensive there might, no doubt, 

 be something disagreeable in the prospect of 

 taking so one-sided a share in a day's amusement ; 

 but if you regard this occasion in the true 

 grousely spirit your worthy mother and myself 

 have always endeavoured to inculcate, you will 

 find the day full of pleasurable excitement. Run 

 your hardest, keep your heads well down, follow 

 me ; above all, rise the instant I do, and I think 

 I can promise you a memorable 12th." 



At this stirring appeal the covey ruffled their 

 feathers and looked about them very haughtily, 

 like birds who had become conscious of their own 

 worth (7s. a brace, as their mother proudly re- 

 minded them). 



" And now," said the Old Cock, catching sight 

 of an inviting bunch of hill-berries, " let us fortify 

 ourselves for this ordeal." 



And then you might have seen the whole 

 family busily seeking for the little berries that 

 cluster like bright, black swanshot upon their 

 delicate, tiny-leaved plant. There were dense 

 mats of them in some places, overgrown and half- 

 hidden by the sheltering heather, and the covey 

 feasted and then ran on, separating and finding 



