138 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



managed to get up oflf the ground, and as I 

 held him with my left hand only, he got hold 

 of my gun, which I held in my right. Seizing 

 the stock with one hand and the barrel with 

 the other, he gave a twist and wrenched it 

 awav from me. Letting go of his collar, I 

 immediately seized the gun and we strug- 

 gled together to obtain possession of it ; 

 sometimes he got it awav from me for a few 



O J 



seconds, and then I would recapture it again, 

 and had it all to myself for a while ; then we 

 both had hold of it, and so the fight went on 

 until at last I got it fairly away from him, when 

 he ran at me to knock me down, T struck out 

 at him with my gun, aiming at his head, but he 

 put up his hand and warded off the blow ; then 

 clenching both hands round the weapon he 

 backed me against a stub, which manoeuvre had 

 the effect of nearly upsetting me. Seeing me 

 totter he made a rush at me to pin me down, 

 so I clubbed my weapon, and struck at him with 

 the butt end. He dodged the blow and caught 

 hold of the butt, so that I was left half on 

 the ground, clutching the barrels, and as these 



