CONTENDS. 



PAGE 



CHAPTER I 



The embryo sportsman An amateur zoo My first sea fish Caught 

 and lost " For it ! " An unwilling executioner Sport before 

 discipline A gentle judge Modest sport An archaic weapon 

 The murder of the blue tit ....... i 



CHAPTER II 



A resplendent but fearsome weapon How it was obtained Mr. Com- 

 missioner de Fonblanque Getting the right side of him A bag 

 of small birds How to get them cooked Old Mary to the rescue 

 My love of dogs Dash resents the rat-trap And loathes fowls 

 I help him to vengeance His son Tobias, a dreadful mongrel But 

 a priceless pal My first " bunny " The Dads deprives me of my 

 gun But makes a promise . .11 



CHAPTER III 



Why I was " for it " The lobworm and the labourer ! The Dads on 



the Bench A burglar's boot . 19 



CHAPTER IV 



My birthday, the 3oth August A welcome present St. Partridge's 

 Day My first experience as member of a shooting-party Tobias 

 runs amok But does us a good turn Simultaneous shots and one 

 bird The Dads kindly falsehood But I get it all to myself . . 23 



CHAPTER V 



Schooldays Brother Irwin catches us poaching Totteridge Park 

 School My first scrap I am sent to Coventry for foul fighting 

 My sisters, Ada and Florence I am transferred to Elstree The 

 Rev. Thompson Podmore believed in the rod But I avoid it 

 About corporal punishment The agent thereby degraded I go 

 for the Harrow matriculation And meet Dr. Butler for the first 

 time Am relegated to the lowest form in the school But go up like 

 a sky-rocket The Rev. John Smith, and Bosworth of the same 

 . ilk And othersI take to rifle-shooting And am given my 



" badge " And distinguish myself at Wimbledon ... 29 



CHAPTER VI 



I try for the Graphic So near and yet so far An impossible weapon 

 I take to cricket vice rifle-shooting I create a record And am 

 tried for the XI. But am not elected The Thespid Club And 



