224 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



the trigger, leading them away from it in the 

 form of a three-cornered table, so that the dog 

 is bound to run on to one of the three when 

 driving the hares or hunting the field. Bang ! 

 goes the gun, and off run the poachers. " He's 

 shot the dog," they cry, and forthwith catch 

 up their nets as quickly as possible, and make 

 off ; if there are two nets, they take the nearest 

 and leave the other, and they do not stop to 

 touch the gate netting. 



After they have gone about half-a-mile, the 

 dog overtakes them. "The old devil missed 

 him, after all," is their polite comment ; " that 

 couldn't have been Wilkins shot at him, it was 

 one of his men ; he'd a j been a dead 'un if 

 Wilkins rose his gun to him." 



I only use the alarm gun on nights when I 

 am riot watching, and then more to baulk the 

 poachers than anything else. When vou are 

 watching the gates it would do more harm 

 than good ; it is only of use to prevent the 

 poachers killing your hares when you are not 

 there. 



Here is another dodge for poachers' dogs. 



