148 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



or bad luck. Such a course ensured me plenty of friends, 

 and all were interested in the game. I can only say, I 

 had more, very much more, than I ever could make use 

 of, with all these recipients to boot. Independent of my 

 own land, adjoining occupiers would allow no one to 

 trespass upon their holdings. Their general answer to 

 any marauders was, that the game belonged to the squire, 

 and no one else should have it. Poachers, therefore, 

 had little chance with so many keepers. 



In my father's time there was a notorious poacher in 

 an adjoining parish, not our own, who would occasionally 

 make a swoop upon the hares at night, and, not satisfied 

 with his exploits, boasted of them as well. He had been 

 overheard to say, he should have some hares out of a 

 certain field, not far from the house, as soon as the corn 

 was cut ; and have them he would, notwithstanding all 

 the squire might do to the contrary, and that " they 

 called him master." This information was given to the 

 governor, who merely replied, " Oh, very well — we shall 

 see who is master, perhaps, one of these days." On the 

 night the corn was cut, my father went out with his gun, 

 about ten o'clock, and, as there was a row of trees run- 

 ning at right angles up to the gate of the field, which 

 was surrounded also by a high wall, he could approach 

 the spot without being seen — it being a dark night also. 

 Standing behind one of the trees, he quietly awaited the 

 approach of Mr. Jim, who soon came, and set his net at 

 the gate, whilst his companion went to the other side of 

 the field, with the dog, to drive the hares into it. For a 

 few minutes all was still, Jem being stationed behind the 

 gate-post, when down came a hare, rushing into the net. 

 Jim was down upon his hands and knees in a minute 



