DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 69 



apparently she loved his tallest inches most, for her 

 eyes dwelt oftenest upon his curly head. 



Our host's question was answered by my wife's 

 beckoning finger and by her: "Come this way 

 and I will show you." The new arrivals followed, 

 and the tall one had to bend acutely somewhere 

 about the middle of his height to reach a stout cord 

 which he was told to haul, "and you will see what 

 you will see." As his back straightened a perforated 

 bait - can came up, shed its watery contents and 

 showed some dozen flopping minnows, one of which 

 I placed upon the perch hook which I found was 

 bare. 



"Oh, give over now; have your tea; and then 

 drive home with us ; and you and I addressing me 

 will shoot a few rabbits." 



I consented to go with him for rabbits provided 

 he would moderate his pace to that of cousin Jim's. 



The first half of our tea and cake was buttered 

 with much friendly banter on how we had spent the 

 day and as to the disposal of our fish, and probably 

 the second half would have been so flavoured 

 had not an innocent asked : "Why is cousin Jim's 

 pace to be adopted ? " 



The long man coughed, and the short one gave 

 the reason : 



"You must see, ladies, that this elongated man is 

 a good eight inches longer than myself, and I have 

 more than once been sorry that those inches are all 

 in his legs, for I have, when walking standing 

 beans with him, missed easy shots and lost much 

 moisture. I am therefore grateful to Jim's dog 

 for teaching him that, when shooting, the pace to 

 walk up game is that which suits the shortest legs. 



