ROUND THE BOUNDARIES 155 



with the object of circumventing an outlying- 

 covey, which frequents that corner, that this 

 roundabout route has been taken. Once 

 over the wall, the master takes the sfun and 

 a handful of cartridofes, and loads. Then a 

 quiet advance is made ; the dogs, though 

 eager, obedient to the signalling hand. Not 

 half-way up the field, in which the brown 

 bracken grows freely, whirr ! up gets the 

 covey. A brace fall ; and at the double 

 report a hen pheasant rises fifty yards on 

 and tops the boundary fence. But our 

 sportsmen are following the covey with their 

 eyes, till it drops in a high gorse cover 

 above. That gorse is full of pheasants, as 

 both know, so the partridges are left in 

 peace ; the fallen birds are gathered, and 

 on they go. The field holds nothing more 

 but an outlying rabbit, which is not wanted. 



