138 sportsmen Parsons in Peace and War 



good-hearted old Major living at Welton Place who might have 

 stood for the original of Kipling's Colonel Dabney in " Stalky 

 and Co.," for he gave the boys the run of his park and unlimited 

 fishing in the lake, to the undisguised anguish of his keeper, 

 who suspected the boys — with perfect justice — of poaching 

 rabbits. 



Years after Mr. Aldridge was dining with a sedate country 

 squire who had been his boy friend at Welton, and reminded him 

 of their many poaching exploits together ; but the train of 

 thought was broken by a kick from his host's foot under the 

 table, which drew his attention to the fact that the squire was 

 making warning faces at him. " My butler must hear nothing 

 of that," he whispered. " I, at all events, am now a respectable 

 character, and want the butler still to think so. Besides, I often 

 have to go for poachers on my own shoot, so please shut up." 

 Mr. Aldridge obediently " shut up," and his host is still basking 

 in the sunshine of his butler's esteem. 



Mr. Aldridge has always loved nature and all its birds and 

 beasts, which led him, as a boy, to show even more than the 

 usual boyish fondness for pets, and he tamed, or tried to tame, 

 every sort of animal he could get hold of. He was known by 

 the illuminating nickname of " Plodder," but it is not clear if 

 this referred to his method of pursuing knowledge or field 

 sports. Perhaps both. 



He took his degree from Trinity College, Cambridge, where 

 he ran for the 'Varsity hare and liounds and hunted with the 

 Trinity beagles — that remarkable little pack with which more 

 well-known sportsmen have served their apprenticeship than 

 with any other beagles in the country. 



At this time Mr. Aldridge had no idea of entering the Church, 

 and went abroad. After knocking about the world for some 

 time, he found himself in China under Sir Robert Hart, a remark- 

 able man who made a reputation for himself in the East that 

 has never been equalled by another European. At the time, 

 Sir Robert was Inspector-General of the Customs in China, 

 having practically created the customs service of that country 

 as it exists to-day. Mr. Aldridge spent seventeen years out 

 there, generally being given the wildest and most sporting 

 stations by his chief, where the attractions mainly consisted of 

 excellent shooting and the prospect of murder. After some 



