AN OLD STOEY RETOLD. 135 



" It's as old as the hills," answered Hawkes. " Do 

 you mean to say you never heard the story 1 " 



" No ; not that I remember. Let us have it," 

 was the reply. 



" Well. At a dinner party in London, some 

 Indian officer I forget who happened to mention 

 that partridges roosted in trees ; and, observing the 

 incredulity of his auditors, appealed to an Indian 

 friend at the same table. The friend positively 

 denied all knowledge of such a circumstance ; which, 

 of course, only added to the disbelief of the party, 

 who put it down as a regular ' Traveller's tale/ 

 The officer who had related the fact was naturally 

 annoyed at his word being doubted ; and especially 

 angry with his friend who, he was aware, was as 

 cognisant as himself of the truth of his statement. 

 Consequently, he took him to task afterwards. ' My 

 dear fellow/ was the satisfactory reply he received to 

 his remonstrances, ' I know it is perfectly true ; but 

 not a man round the table believed you ; and do you 

 think I was such a fool as to place myself in the 

 same predicament ? They looked upon you already 

 as effective at the long-bow ; in fact, not to mince 

 matters, as a liar ; and would have considered me a 

 damned liar." 



" Ay, travellers and sportsmen have to be par- 

 ticular," said Mackenzie, reflectively. " It's so easy 



