1 62 THE GAMEKEEPER AT HOME. 



that the coast is almost clear. Here they pick up a 

 leveret, and perhaps the dogs chop a weakly young 

 partridge, unable to fly well, in the hedge. The keeper has 

 just strolled through the copses bordering on the road and 

 has left them, as he thinks, safe. They watch his figure 

 slowly disappearing in the distance from a bend of the lane, 

 and then send the dogs among the underwood. In the 

 winter men will carry ferrets with them in a trap like this. 



The desperate gangs who occasionally sweep the 

 preserves, defying the keepers in their strength of numbers 

 and prestige of violence, sometimes bring with them a 

 horse and cart, not so much for speed of escape as to 

 transport a heavy bag of game. Such a vehicle, driven 

 by one man, will, moreover, often excite no suspicion, 

 though it may be filled with pheasants under sacks and 

 hay. A good deal of what may be called casual poaching 

 is also done on wheels. 



Some of the landlords of the low beer-houses in the 

 country often combine with the liquor trade the business 

 of dealing in pigs, calves, potatoes, etc., and keep a light 

 cart, or similar conveyance. Now, if any one will notice 

 the more disreputable of these beer-houses, they will 

 observe that there are generally a lot of unkempt, rough- 

 looking dogs about them. These, of course, follow their 

 master when he goes on his short journeys from place to 

 place ; and they are quite capable of mischief. Such 

 men may not make a business of poaching, yet if in pass- 



