144 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



do not know, for first he got the stick, and 

 then I did and so it went on, until something 

 happened which brought our pantomime to a 

 premature close. 



Whether it had been placed there purposely 

 or not I can't say, but, about the spot where 

 I had said the alder stump would be, was a 

 low gangway, board, or partition, not much 

 higher than one's knee. In our last rally, when 

 I had fairly got the gun to myself, my 

 antagonist backed me up against this door ; 

 feeling myself going, I loosed hold of the stick 

 suddenly. The effect was that I tumbled head 

 over heels over the partition squash into a 

 couple of fat, old Counsellors, who were 

 vigorously taking notes. I fell head down- 

 wards, and, the board being so low, my legs 

 w r ere left sticking up in the air, whilst the court 

 house rang with uproarious laughter. 



As soon as I extricated myself the ushers 

 were calling " silence," and, on order being re- 

 stored, Counsellor Ball began his speech for 

 the defence. He contended that it was only a 

 case of common assault, as Alexander was an 



