208 THE GROUSE 



may be scarce half through the dog-days, 

 and but yesterday you were sweltering in 

 your London office in the thinnest of 

 flannel suits. 



There is still the question of dog or no 

 dog to be decided. If you have time and 

 patience to give to breaking him in, and 

 can give him enough exercise to keep him 

 in health, the companionship of a good 

 dog certainly will add materially to your 

 enjoyment. But a badly broken dog in a 

 grouse butt is infinitely worse than no dog 

 at all ; he howls and whines whenever a 

 shot is fired, disconcerts your aim at the 

 moment of firing by jumping about, and 

 finally escapes before the drive is over 

 and careers over half the countryside, to 

 your own mortification and the openly 

 expressed disgust of your neighbours. 

 But if your dog is under control and 

 understands the game, he will lie at your 

 feet like a rock through the drive, only 

 betraying his deep interest in the proceed- 

 ings by a gently wagging tail, till the 

 beaters are in and his turn comes. 



