BRITISH SPORT PAST AND PRESENT 



leg ! He never was known to do such a thing before or since, 

 and I firmly beUeve he thought that we ought to have some 

 flesh meat to take home, and that, as it appeared to be hopeless 

 to find grouse, mutton should serve our turn for the nonce. 

 But see — to-day he has turned to stone about a hundred and 

 fifty yards off, and my companion cocks his gun and quickens 

 his pace. I warn him not to hurry, that it is always better 

 to go slow up to a point — a counsel of perfection which he 

 hears but does not obey ; and while my judgment condemns, 

 my heart rather approves, for is he not young — lucky fellow ! 

 and this the first point of the season ? I have a pretty good 

 notion what Rake has found in that rushy bit, and if I am 

 right there is no hurry. 



' We get close up to the dog before anything moves, and 

 have to force him forward, so near is he to the game ; then there 

 is a whirr of wings, and, just as the warning " 'Ware hen " 

 breaks from my lips, there is a report and a fall, and the laws of 

 the country and of sport are outraged by the destruction of 

 a well-grown young greyhen. Alas for the beginning of the 

 season ! Yet, let those who have never committed a similar 

 mistake first cast a stone at my companion, who is profuse in 

 his apologies, and sees the old hen and seven other young birds 

 fly off almost in succession, presenting the most tantalising 

 marks. Next, two or three snipe rise one after another, and 

 a couple of them fall victims, while Rake — alas ! that I should 

 say it — more than once points at a rabbit, but in a constrained 

 attitude and with glaring eyes, which gives me a pretty good 

 idea of what he is after. We do not fire at the rabbits, not 

 merely for fear of spoiling the dog, but also because if we killed 

 all we saw the bag would be difficult to carry, and we are after 

 nobler game. 



' We are now coming to the heather, and we might safely 

 hunt the younger dogs, but I cannot find it in my heart to take 

 Rake up until he has had a chance, which comes qmckly enough. 

 A capital point, and a nice rise of a good covey of nine ; this 

 time there is no mistake made, and two brace are neatly killed 



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