A Sportsman at Large 85 



cairn, and selecting a comfortable spot, sheltered from the keen 

 north wind, I unpacked my frugal rations, and with an appe- 

 tite whetted by my walk and the excitements of the chase, 

 I set to work energetically with my teeth, sharing my bits 

 and pieces with the voracious Cockie Junior. 



The repast being concluded I lighted my pipe, but scarcely 

 had I taken half a dozen pulls than I distinctly heard through 

 the mist the whistling of golden plover. I could see nothing 

 of the birds, but immediately afterwards the rush of their 

 wings, as they passed at lightning speed, delighted my ears. 

 I felt pretty sure that they would come to rest on their 

 favourite billet ; nor was I mistaken. I hurriedly approached 

 the spot, when a rift in the mist revealed a score of the golden 

 flecked beauties, standing motionless, almost within shot 

 of where I stood. I took the very necessary precaution 

 of hitching Master Cockie on to the lead which I always carried, 

 and then, lying prone, awaited a drift in the curling vapour, 

 such as might enable me to dash in and take up position in 

 close proximity to the bunch. This much-desired consumma- 

 tion soon materialised. Rising hurriedly I sprinted forward, 

 and, as luck would have it, emerged from the damp shroud into 

 clear atmosphere, within twenty yards of the plover, which 

 were so surprised at the sudden apparition, that they seemed 

 paralysed, and stood stock still on their toes with heads erect. 



Indeed, I had to clap my hands to make them rise. For a 

 moment my poaching proclivities had inclined me to " brown " 

 the lot as they stood bunched together on the ground ; but the 

 dawning spirit of true sportsmanship, as inculcated by my 

 excellent brother-in-law, prevailed, so I decided to give the 

 birds a fair chance. 



I fancy this did not avail them much, for when they took 

 wing I quickly snapped in my right, and followed up with 

 my left as they turned in the air. It seemed to rain golden 

 plover ! Five were stone dead, and two others winged, which 

 gave Cockie, in retrieving them, his share in the exploit. 

 As he was on the tracks of the livelier of the two cripples, 

 the survivors of the bunch kept wheeling around him and 

 swooping close to the ground. Seeing the possibilities offered 

 by this manoeuvre, I ran forward as fast as my legs would 



