120 THE COMPLETE SPORTSMAN 



ammal's throat. Boanerges lay still and gave 

 no sign of life. At length, realizing the futility 

 of further efforts, my uncle was persuaded to 

 laiock at the cottage of a local fanner, and 

 begged the loan of an old single-barrelled gun, 

 with which that worthy declared that he had 

 scared many a rook from his ripening corn. 



With the tears streaming from his eyes, he 

 cocked this fatal weapon; with a shaking hand 

 he aimed it at the head of his old favourite; 

 A^th an unsteady finger he pressed the trigger. 

 A deafening explosion ensued, and the old gun 

 flew into a thousand pieces, blomng away the 

 hats of the more reverent members of the hunt, 

 shattering the bystander's bicycle, and killing 

 twelve couple of hounds. 



As the smoke cleared away, it was noticed 

 that Boanerges, who was apparently none the 

 worse for the affair, had risen to his feet and 

 was cantering home in the direction of his stable, 

 leaving the bicyclist to search for his pemiies 

 in vain. 



It subsequently transpired that the farmer 

 had stupidly forgotten to warn Lord Porpentine 

 that he had rammed a cork down the barrel of 

 his gun in order to keep out the mnter damp, 

 and it was to this piece of carelessness that the 

 horse owed its escape from death. 



Thus it came about that Boanerges was able 



