UNDER THE KENT HILLS 253 



down. The gun on my left — the local medico — did 

 better, however, for, as the remaining leash swung by 

 him at a great speed, he dropped a couple of them dead 

 as stones, leaving but a solitary bird to seek a quieter 

 haven of refuge amongst the reeds and sedges of the 

 neighbouring river. 



A single peewit, probably a pricked bird, suddenly 

 tumbled out of a clump of rank bent-grass, from 

 almost under old Rake's nose. A sharp report from 

 the gun of the centre man, and the beautiful bird's flight 

 was stopped for ever. The remaining three beats over, 

 the big grass field yielded but four rabbits and a hare, 

 the latter being retrieved from a tumble-down hopper's 

 hut wherein she had taken shelter with a broken leg. 



A move was now made to an outlying belt of spinney, 



which, owing to its isolated situation, D was anxious 



to beat before shooting the more important coverts. The 

 little brook mentioned earlier herein flowed along one side 

 of this spinney, and I was told off to keep line with the 

 beaters and to stop any pheasants which might happen to 



fly that way ; while D and C took up their 



stands at the far end of the copse. 



The beaters start forward, under the leadership of the 

 keeper, tapping with their sticks the young chestnut 

 saplings and under-covert as they go. A loud " whirr " 

 puts nie on the qui vive, and the next moment a splendid 

 old dark-necked cock pheasant flashes through the 

 scant russet, gold, and crimson-tinted foliage ; and 

 away over my head he flies, every metallic feather on his 



