The Confessions of a Poacher. 137 



I conceived the idea of openly shooting 

 certain well-stocked coverts during the tem- 

 porary absence of the owner. These were so 

 well watched that all the ordinary measures at 

 night seemed likely to be baffled. To openly 

 shoot during broad day, and under the very 

 eye of the keeper, was now the essential part 

 of the programme ; and to this end I must 

 explain as follows : The keeper on the estate 

 was but lately come to the district. Upon 

 two occasions when I had been placed in the 

 dock, I had been described as " a poacher of 

 gentlemanly appearance,'' and " the gentleman 

 poacher again." (My forefathers had been 

 small estatesmen for generations, and I suppose 

 that some last lingering air of gentility at- 

 tached to me). Well, I had arranged with a 

 confederate to act as bag carrier ; he was to 

 be very servile, and not to forget to touch 

 his cap at pretty frequent intervals. After 

 " making up " as a country squire (I had 

 closely studied the species on the "Bench,") 

 and providing a luncheon in keeping with my 

 temporary " squiredom," we started for the 



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