SNARING AND TRAPPING FOXES. 285 



field will make you care. Supposing your 

 master dies, or gives up preserving game, and 

 you are told to look out for a fresh place. 

 You apply to some gentleman, and he casually 

 mentions it to another. " Oh, Wilkins, late 

 keeper at Stanstead, has applied to me to 

 come as my keeper." Now, the person to 

 whom this remark is made happens to be a 

 hunting man, he knows you and your little 

 games with foxes, so he puts a spoke in your 

 wheel, or rather, takes one out. He has an 

 old grudge against you because you are a fox 

 killer, so do you think he will speak a word in 

 your favor ? No, no, he will use all his 

 influence the other way, and you won't get 

 that place, simply because you are a fox killer, 

 and for no other reason whatever. 



When you were warned about killing foxes you 

 said you did not care, as your master was not 

 a hunting man, but in the very next place you 

 apply for the master does hunt, and, if not, he is 

 certain to have fifty friends who do, and who 

 know you of old. All these fifty will do every- 

 thing they can to prevent your getting the place. 



