154 ROUND THE BOUNDARIES 



shoulder, takes his stick, and is ready. 

 His three -score years sit Hghtly enough 

 upon him, for he is, indeed, a man with '' Hfe 

 experience " ; and, truth to tell, he can walk 

 down some younger men in a long day in a 

 rough country. Meanwhile the master has 

 gone for his hat, and they meet at a side 

 door of the house. The master is accom- 

 panied by a couple of favourite dachshunds. 

 The keeper used to turn up his nose at 

 these at first, but now he admits them to 

 be useful though ''desperate hard-mouthed." 

 A quarter of an hour sees them clear of the 

 lodge gates, and down a hill through some 

 cottages ; but, though they are past the 

 boundary, they trudge on, and turn off up 

 a right of way through some fields on an 

 adjoining property. But this path touches 

 the extreme corner of the shooting, and it is 



