210 TEN YEARS OF GAME-KEEPING 



of beer or a rabbit. The printable portion of this 

 keeper's remarks, when he saw me, was to the effect 

 that he knew very well he was two hundred birds 

 ' shart,' and now he knew the reason why. When 

 I told him he must choose between my version of 

 the affair with a season's total of seven or experi- 

 ence next season the reality of being * two hundred 

 shart,' he reflected wisely ; I ' liquidated ' him, and 

 we parted good friends. In spite of endless worry- 

 ing about pheasants, you seldom hear a keeper 

 mourning for boundary partridges. 



The majority of keepers are ever ready for a 

 glass of beer, but the less they drink within the 

 precincts of a public-house, the better for their 

 keeperships. In a casual way a keeper may often 

 pick up useful information by calling at a public- 

 house ; and all is well if this be his object in calling 

 rather than beer, the curse of many an otherwise 

 excellent keeper. I remember one keeper who 

 simply could not pass a public-house ; and the pro- 

 prietor knew that so long as beer was in his cup he 

 would stay. So whenever mine host fancied rabbit- 

 pie, he arranged that this keeper's cup should be 

 replenished from time to time, till he or his sons 

 returned from ferreting. I recall a good old story 

 alleged to have concerned two Scotch keepers who 

 were accustomed at regular intervals to meet at a 

 half-way house of refreshment. They would give 

 it out that they held these meetings purely for 



