43^ AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



becomes known that the oats in the honey- 

 suckle field are cut down, that they met you 

 carrying a scythe at the break of day." 



'' What can I do to prevent them finding me 

 out, keeper ? " says he. 



" Do ? " says I. " Do the best you can." 

 " Well, tell me, you can if you like." 

 " There/' says I, " take your scythe, and go 

 into the Round Coppice, and mow the rides 

 as quickly as ever you can, then, if you are 

 questioned about carrying the scythe, you can 

 say that you were bringing it home from the 

 wood. Also, take your shoes, tie them 

 together, put a big stone in each one, and sink 

 them in the Black Pond, so that they can't get 

 the print of the nails in your shoes." 



" I'll go and do as you say at once," says he. 

 And here my dream ended. 



The next morning I was telling Humphries 

 the extraordinary dream I had had, when up 

 comes Inspector Scott, and, seeing us together 

 near the dog kennel, he called out to me : 

 " Wilkins, I want you to come with me to 

 Green End farm ; bring a blood-hound or 



