232 THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



but in two minutes, as I said before, you can tell if he 

 is at home and of any use with the glass. The novice 

 you will detect at once ; he is quite at sea with it, and 

 has not the slightest idea of putting himself into a spy- 

 ingposition, nor of keeping the glass steady one minute 

 he gazes at the sky, the next he plunges into the heather. 

 Now, having discovered your " gentleman " is a duffer 

 (you need not tell him so), but seems anxious to learn, 

 do everything you can to show him the best spying 

 positions off your knee, or off a stick, etc., and above 

 all things be patient suit yourself to the occasion. Of 

 course, it is a thousand times better and far less trouble 

 for you to find your " gentleman" an accomplished 

 stalker. You may then very often pick up little hints 

 from him if you are attentive and observant, and you 

 can both work so much better together and consult one 

 another as to the stalk. 



But let us suppose you have found deer from your 

 first spying-point, and a stag among them fit to shoot, 

 and your " gentleman" a novice, then take plenty of 

 time to explain matters to him, make him have a good 

 look at the deer through his glass, point out to him the 

 way the wind is blowing, and how you intend making 

 the stalk. This procedure will be far more interesting 

 to him than if you shut up your glass, telling him nothing, 

 as some do, but simply let him follow you like a shadow 

 as you crawl and creep over rocks and wade through 

 burns. It is far more exciting for him to know the spot 

 you are making for than to treat him as a nonentity. 



