LEAVES FEOM A GAME BOOK. 131 



** sell " for yourself. No sooner were these formalities 

 completed than the layer of the bet turned to the taker, 

 saying in a humble voice, " Very well, sir, you do it ! 

 My bargain was that / would find the man, and if he 

 did not do it, he was to pay forfeit ; if you refer to 

 what is written, you will find me correct." 



As the astonished taker of the wager grasped the 

 situation, he held out his hand to the winner and led the 

 laughter which went round the room, while, as the two 

 bottles of whiskey were ordered, we beat a retreat to be 

 ready for an early start on the morrow. 



Eeturning south, there followed more days at Balls 



Park and Hall Barn, together with some few nice days at 



Dane End, near Ware, then rented by Mr. Cumberbatch, 



the present tenant of Ware Park. On the 12th of 



November I was one of a party of nine guns shooting 



Balls Park Wood, when on a dark and showery day 625 



head were bagged, of which 542 were pheasants. This 



was followed by five days at Charlecote, and then odd 



days at Langley Park, Slough, and at Hall Bam, filled up 



the time until the 5 th of December. On the morning of 



K 2 



