236 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



up the hedge, which was from eight to nine feet 

 high. I called out to Joslin to let go his two 

 men and follow me. This he did, shouting to 

 me, valiantly and lustily, to * Go on.' I went 

 pelting up the bank, he close at my heels, 

 and caught a blow on my left temple, which 

 knocked me backwards into his arms. He 

 caught me round the waist, and, being a very 

 strong man, held me over his head with great 

 ease, as a shield against the two poachers 

 above, who then used their sticks on my 

 body, right and left, 



Duckey bolted, as I thought he vvould, and, 

 on seeing this, Joslin threw me down on my 

 face ; and next morning you could see the 

 prints of my hands, fingers, and teeth on the 

 ground where I had fallen. Away goes Joslin 

 about twelve or fifteen yards behind Duckey, 

 and the latter, thinking he was being chased, 

 and finding his pursuer gaining on him, fell 

 flat on the ground, and so Joslin flew past him. 



When Joslin threw me on the ground the 

 two poachers kept me there with their knobbed 

 sticks, thump, thump, like two blacksmiths at 



