266 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



doctor? Let's hev' it straight, an' no beatin' 

 about the bush. Shell I git up agin ? " 



"No." 



" Ah, well ! On yer road home call on old 



C . We bin up agin one another fur the 



last fifteen years. I should like to shake 

 hands with him afore I go, jest to let him 

 know as we can start fair an' square when 

 we meet agin." 



Owing to the favourable surroundings, part- 

 ridges were very numerous. Never elsewhere 

 have I seen so many as I have seen in those 

 large fields, where the stubbles reached up to 

 the shooter's knees. As the birds were fairly 

 shot, over dogs, during the whole of the 

 season, there was no marked diminution visible 

 in their numbers. If the stubbles were shot 

 over, the root crops were not interfered with ; 

 sanctuary was allowed the birds, and the 

 shooters profited by giving this. 



One old friend of mine shot at times from 

 the back of his rough-coated white pony, a 

 creature that was almost as deliberate and 

 thoughtful as his master. This was the only 

 purpose for which he was used, and no one 

 but his master would the animal permit to 

 make use of him in that fashion. If " Skip- 



