l6 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



"No; where did you leave him?" " At 

 the Chalk Pit." 



" When ? " " Soon after dinner." 

 " What for ? " "To look out for poachers. 

 I told him to sit there 'till I came back, and 

 now I've clean forgot all about him." 

 " Then p'raps he's sitting there, now." 

 "Very like." And then father and mother 

 had a few words, with the result that father sent 

 off Jim Keen to look after me. Of Jim I shall 

 speak later on, and, at present, I may mention 

 that he was born at Little Missenden, Bucks, 

 and was now under keeper to Mr. Fuller. 

 Father gave Jim very particular orders about 

 me. " You will find the boy close to the Chalk 

 Pit; don't call him 'till you get quite close, or 

 he may fall into the pit, and break every bone 

 in his body." This pit was a very deep one, 

 and I've seen my father stand at the top, and 

 shoot a rabbit in the bottom, when it was odds 

 on the rabbit as against the gun. 



It was after eleven at night, and I was still 

 on the watch, when I thought I heard some one 

 en the move, and sprang to my feet, ready for 



