14 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



Just before the shooting, and whilst I was 

 still at school, my father, as a great treat, 

 allowed me to walk through the woods with 

 him one Saturday, that day being a holiday. 

 We went through Monk's Wood, and, at the 

 end of the wood, my father sat down on the 

 stump of a tree, for about twenty minutes, to 

 see if any poachers were coming from Weedon 

 Hill Road or Coppysons Lane ; this was a very 

 quiet part, and a favorite way with poachers. 

 Having sat awhile, and finished his pipe, he 

 knocked out the ashes, and then instructed me 

 as follows ; I listening with close attention. 



" John, you sit here till I come back. I'm 

 going round Beech Wood, Odd's, and Bois 

 Wood. If you happen to see any of those chaps 

 after my hares, don't you be afraid ; just go 

 straight at them, and sing out, ' Here they are, 

 father, here they are ! Look out, father, they're 

 coming towards you ; ' stand still and they'll 

 run straight into your arms ! " 



All this was accompanied with pantomimic 

 gestures, my father striking attitudes of a fearful 

 and wonderful kind, in his anxiety to impress 



