316 SPORT INDEED 



hare." The chase was a lively, though a short one. 

 I soon caught her ladyship, and taking off my coat 

 wrapped it around her to quiet her struggles, and then 

 started home with my prize. My father was nearly 

 as much excited as myself, for meat of any kind being 

 scarce in those days, a big fat hare was a luxury 

 worthy of considerable glorification. While he was 

 holding it up and admiring it and smacking his lips at 

 the prospect of a coming feast, my grandfather came 

 in. He was a Methodist preacher and a very strict 

 one in his regard for all manner of laws. Without de- 

 lay or ceremony he began to lecture my father for 

 harboring the hare and encouraging "his lad" in 

 poaching. The lecture was a long one, and withal so 

 forcible, that, when it ended, my father opened the 

 cottage door and gave the hare her liberty. I noticed, 

 however, that he looked longingly in the direction of 

 his vanishing feast, and seemed so full of his disappoint- 

 ment that I came near forgetting my own. But I 

 didn't. My grandfather soon left for his home, fully 

 satisfied that he had done his duty in saving his son- 

 in-law and grandson from an infraction of the poach- 

 ing law. As I have said, my young blood had a good 

 deal of the " sport " in it, and I couldn't for the life of 

 me see what harm I had committed. In fact, I was so 

 convinced that I had done no harm, that I was willing 

 to do it again. So as soon as my grandfather was out 

 of sight I slipped out of the house and took up the 



