300 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



day to settle ths bet at the "Three Horse 

 Shoes " pubHc house, Murrell Green. When 

 the day arrived I took my two double barrelled 

 guns and my under-keeper, Humphries, who 

 lived with me at Littlecut, Chilton. I was 

 also accompanied by Samuel Sanders, a baker 

 and grocer, and Henry Pryor, our brickmaker, 

 both of whom have since died. 



Well, we arrived at the appointed place and 

 I commenced, using my guns alternately, 

 whilst Humphries stood by and loaded for me. 

 At the fiftieth shot I missed. " Oh, Hum- 

 phries ! " I cried, "there was no shot in that 

 barrel for I did not hit the potato." And 

 Humphries replied: — "Yes there was; I know 

 I put two charges in the gun, didn't I, Pryor?" 

 Pryor assented. "Then you've put two 

 charges in one barrel, and none in the other," 

 said I. 



Everybody present crowded around me 

 whilst I ' drew ' the other barrel, and sure 

 enough, there were two charges in it. There- 

 upon a hubbub arose ; everybody, except 

 Warner, said that the shot ought not to count 



