THE 



AMATEUR POACHER 



CHAPTER I 



THE FIRST GUN 



THEY burned the old gun that used to stand in the 

 dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox 

 that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason 

 why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he 

 did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt 

 would not have been so perfect. And why else 

 was he put away up there out of sight ? and so 

 magnificent a brush as he had too. But there he 

 stood, and mounted guard over the old flintlock that 

 was so powerful a magnet to us in those days. Though 

 to go up there alone was no slight trial of moral 

 courage after listening to the horrible tales of the 

 carters in the stable, or the old women who used to 



