CHAPTER II 



ON A PARTRIDGE BEAT 



My first beat The farmer 'Enry the carter His brother-in-law's 

 rabbit-shooting and mine A novel puncture A good ratting 

 ferret End of a poaching cat Foxes I catch egg-stealers 

 Gipsies Egg trickery and gratuitous advice. 



MY first regular keepering job was to look after 

 partridge ground. I had the sole charge of it and 

 the sole responsibility ; so that whatever of blame 

 or credit was to be had, I knew I should be liable 

 to full measure. I was standing at one and the 

 same time on the lowest and the topmost rungs 

 of the game-keeping ladder. Possibly I should not 

 have got the job at all if partridges then had been 

 thought of as highly as they are now. 



The process of moving into my official residence 

 produced no exciting incident. Probably the most 

 valuable piece of furniture was my gun certainly 

 it was the most treasured. The item of that day 

 of moving which has left the most vivid recollec- 

 tion was the first meal in my game-keeping abode. 

 There had been no time for midday indulgence, 

 so I was treated to a meat tea, the chief dish of 



