SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



The day's shooting at Beddmgton, to which his 

 lordship refers, was on the last day of January 1858, 

 he and myself being the guests of Mr. Carew. I 

 had been trying Old Robert in the morning, and, 

 hastening on Emigrant from Epsom, joined the party 

 just as lunch was being finished. After I had had a 

 hasty meal (though I always think a hungry man in 

 ten minutes can eat enough to last him a few hours) 

 Mr. Carew said, " Come along with me, Hodgman." 



"No," said Hawkins, "let Hodgy stop here." 



" All right." 



" Which way, Hawkins, will you shoot ? " 



" Up." 



*' Then I'll shoot down." 



At that moment a rabbit flew by, and I caught 

 her broadside, nearly cutting her in two. " I've 

 given that something, Hawkins," I said. 



" Hush, hush ! " he cried. " There's a d d old 



parson the other side of the hedge." 



" All right, Mr. Hawkins," piped the cheery cleric, 

 " I heard you." Whereupon Hawkins whispered me : 

 " Ears like a donkey, Hodgy ! " Hawkins, in those 

 days, was a regular man of the world, and the things 

 that he didn't know were scarce worth learning 

 The knowledge of all sorts and conditions of men 

 that he then gained proved a valuable asset to him 

 in his career. 



107 



