1 94 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



" He's gone down into Wiltshire, sir, as 

 keeper to Mr. Fowle," said my father. 



" And does he like the place ?" 



" Well, no, sir, he doesn't," replied my 

 father. " You see his master's a great fox- 

 preserver, and hunts a good deal, and John 

 would prefer to live with a gentleman who 

 preserves pheasants and not foxes." 



11 Is that so, Luke ? I had always marked 

 him for my own keeper; I always thought that 

 if ever I had a keeper, I should like your son 

 John.' 



"Well, sir," said my father, "I know 

 John would be delighted to come as keeper for 

 you, he was always glad when he heard you 

 were coming here to shoot. 



" Then you may tell him, Luke, that I 

 spoke to you about him, and, if he wants a 

 change I will take him on, but not for two years." 



So my father wrote and told me of this con- 

 versation, and I at once replied, begging him 

 to do all he could to get me a place with Mr. 

 Maitland. The next year he came to the 

 "Germans" again, and spoke further to father 



