A LUCKY ESCAPE 353 



sent every year to the maker. Keepers can look after 

 shot-guns well enough, but rifle-locks, if once neglected, 

 are ruined, and the triggers suffer. In the case which 

 I have quoted above, the maker {Mr. Purdey) was in 

 no way to blame, for no finer rifle was ever turned 

 out. It was one of a pair given by Mr. Winans to 

 the late Lord Lovat, and the finish was perfect. 



The foregoing, however, was but a trifling mishap 

 to one which occurred to me several years ago, when 

 I had chances at the four best stags in a forest, and 

 missed them, by reason of the sights of the rifle not 

 having been tested before being sent out by the maker, 

 the rifle actually shooting one foot low at forty yards. 

 It was the first time I ever borrowed a rifle, and 

 will be the last, unless from an experienced sports- 

 man. Everyone who owns a gun should be aware of 

 the infinite danger there is if the locks are neglected. 

 I can speak from somewhat bitter experience, for 

 when I was but a boy at college the second barrel of a 

 muzzle-loader went off while I was loading it when 

 rook-shooting. It was a marvellous escape, as narrow 

 as any man ever had ; for though my hand was shot 

 through with a wire cartridge, I only suffered the 

 loss of the tendon of my right thumb. 



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