ii2 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



first lot he touched, walk out of the barn with it, and 

 then not sooner it was placed in his sample-bag 

 ready for the morrow's market-day. " If you take it 

 in that way," he would say, "the bulk on it will be 

 sure to tally with the sample." 



Pheasants were not so plentiful, round our out- 

 lying farms at least, in those days as they are now. 

 Partridges, however, were ; and it was the pride 

 of the master of The Coombe to pilot the old squire 

 round his farm to the best coveys when he came 

 to shoot over his fields with his favourite Spanish 

 pointer. Once during the season, in any case, there 

 was a visit paid ; for The Coombe farm and lands 

 were rented from the squire. 



On one of these occasions the farmer and his 

 landlord had worked back to The Coombe after a 

 good morning's sport. "They should have sent 

 some lunch to meet me," muttered the squire, half 

 to himself. 



" Mother will be proud to find ye something, 

 squire ; 'tis plain but wholesome." 



" Mother " and " darter " were somewhat flustered 

 at having to provide a " snack " for this guest at 

 so short a notice. Not so the master. "What he 



