194 ^N ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



" He's gone down into Wiltshire, sir, as 

 keeper to Mr. Fowle," said my father. 



" And does he Hke the place ?" 



*' Well, no, sir, he doesn't," replied my 

 father. " You see his master's a great fox- 

 preserver, and hunts a good deal, and John 

 would prefer to live with a gentleman who 

 preserves pheasants and not foxes." 



" Is that vSo, Luke ? I had always marked 

 him for my own keeper ; I always thought that 

 if ever I had a keeper, I should like your son 

 John." 



" Well, sir," said my father, " I know 

 John would be delighted to come as keeper for 

 you, he was always glad when he heard you 

 "were coming here to shoot. 



" Then you may tell him, Luke, that I 

 spoke to you about him, and, if he wants a 

 change I will take him on, but not for two years." 



So my father wrote and told me of this con- 

 v^ersation, and I at once replied, begging him 

 to do all he could to get me a place with Mr. 

 Maitland. The next year he came to the 

 "Germans" again, and spoke further to father 



