LEAVES FROM A GAME BOOK. 25 



laughing assertion that the mere sight of it would scare 

 a whole army of poachers. 



A few hours' walking brought the three into their 

 places, and after a short wait they saw by the light of 

 the moon a boat come round the promontory and pull 

 up the estuary towards them. The four strong men at 

 the oars soon brought the little craft opposite the 

 hidden watchers, when two of the crew were put ashore 

 with one end of the net rope, while the other couple 

 rowed oflf at best speed to form a large semi-circle and 

 bring the net to land again some distance above. The 

 moment the boat left the shore, Hunt told his two men 

 to creep in as near as they could, and then to pounce 

 on the two shore men the instant the boat completed 

 the shoot of the net and touched land again. Then, 

 when a few minutes later the boat was beached, Hunt 

 also sprang from his lair in the healther and boldly 

 jumped on board, while he could see that his men had 

 laid their two rascals by the heels ; springing past the 

 two astonished men. Hunt quietly seated himself in the 

 stern, and telling them they were trapped, he ordered 



