THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



CHAPTER I 



INTRODUCTION 



SOME years ago one of the writers visited a school in 

 the West Highlands, and having listened for some time 

 to a cross-examination of one of the senior classes in 

 history, he expressed a desire to present a prize to the 

 boy who showed the best powers of observation and 

 definition in description thereof. Amongst the questions 

 addressed to the class was the one, " What is a game- 

 keeper ? " and an answer he received from a bright-eyed, 

 sandy-haired Celt of about ten years of age was, " A big 

 man who goes about in a braw suit of tweeds, wi' a dog 

 and a gun and does naethinV Now, though out of the 

 mouths of babes and sucklings we are apt to perfect 

 wisdom, we must not, of course, attempt tojustify humour 

 at the expense of justice. The little Highlander's answer 

 was very much on the line of the street boy's definition of 

 a Club as " A house where gentlemen read newspapers 

 on Sunday," although there is more of real truth in the 



