MINE HOST AND FRIEND BALDWIN. 2O7 



going away for a week or two so I hear, 

 isn't he?" 



" Yes," you say, " he goes to-morrow morn- 

 ing." 



" Ah, well, run down again in a night or two, 

 and we'll talk it over a bit. Who shall we ask ? 

 I don't want a lot of roughs, you know, they'll 

 be no good to either you or me ; we want 

 .someone that can stand you a tip, and don't 

 mind paying for a good dinner after a good 

 day's sport and cracking a few bottles of good 

 old port ; that's the sort of people we want to 

 get you know, keeper, so as to do us both a 

 good turn." So you see what Host Goodman 

 desires to do is to please both the keeper and 

 .the shooters. 



After a night or two, down you go again and 

 Mr. Goodman draws another couple of shillings 

 out of your pocket ; he has pretty well decided 

 by this time as to who this respectable party 

 shall consist of. Young Farmer Hopkins is to 

 come, and a few of the most reckless spend- 

 thrifts about the place, not forgetting to make 

 up the number with a couple of the " most 



