124 EXPERIENCES OF SPORT. 



softening down a little, " you must come 

 with I." 



" Now look here," I replied, " I'm no duke, but 

 a quiet country gentleman, fond of sport and a 

 bit of poaching. I do not mean to go with you, 

 but here is a sovereign to keep your mouth 

 shut." 



" Make it two, sir, and I'm mum," returned 

 the honest guardian of hares and phea- 

 sants. 



This I gave him and walked off. My friend 

 was astonished at what I told him, but as he 

 had heard the shots, and I produced the 

 pheasant, he was obliged to believe me. 



" Wait quietly till to-morrow night," I said, 

 " and I will show you a little more." 



Next evening, I dressed as a labouring man ; 

 it was given out that I had gone away to dine 

 some distance off. My friend was in the habit 

 of sitting under his veranda after dinner to 

 smoke his cigar, that is, as long as the weather 

 was warm enough, and it was yet October. 



It was decided he should send for Williams, 

 and keep him under some pretext, whilst I got 

 down to the cover. When the firing was heard 



