238 GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 



a head of game for the amusement of his friends, 

 will perhaps say to his keeper. " Now, Smith, 

 here are Captain Hawthorn and Lord Tyro going 

 out to-day. You will take them to the hanger, 

 where the tame birds were turned down this year. 

 I don't want more than ten brace killed in that 

 quarter, as I wish to leave a good stock for next 

 year. The Captain is a dead shot. Put him on 

 the hill at the top of the cover ; none but old 

 birds will fly that way, and they will run to the 

 end, and perhaps be off before he gets there. So 

 much the better. As to Lord Tyro, he is only a 

 beginner. Place him in the bottom between the 

 hanger and the gorse, where you have the barley 

 stack. Most of the birds will go over his head. 

 He will have two guns, and you may let him 

 blaze at every thing. I am told he can't touch a 

 feather ; but I wish him to have plenty of shoot- 

 ing." " Very well, sir," says Smith, who perhaps 

 knows his master's temper too well to venture an 

 expostulation, while at the same time an expres- 

 sion of care and anxiety shows that he enter- 

 tains some doubt as to the prudence of this 

 arrangement. 



Away they go. On arriving at the cover the 

 shooters are placed in their allotted positions, 

 Captain Hawthorn an old sportsman soon sees 

 6 how the land lies,' and perceiving that the cocks 



