AS IT WAS AND AS IT IS 49 



and pointers in the field, is gradually being 

 discarded ? 



But to proceed. As soon as order is tolerably 

 restored, we advance again, and pretty steadily beat 

 two or three fields, bagging, with an unheard-of 

 amount of missing, about two brace of birds. We 

 are just entering the next field, when the Brinkhill 

 tenant rides up and asks us all in to lunch. Ye 

 gods, what a feast ! Some years ago some bread 

 and cheese, and perhaps a couple of glasses of 

 sherry under a hedge was considered ample on 

 these occasions. Now, however, I have before me 

 an elegant repast of ham and tongue, of fowls and 

 lamb, of pies and fruit, of beer and sherry, port and 

 claret, such as would have shamed the epicurean 

 deities of heathen mythology quaffing ambrosial 

 nectar on the heights of Olympus. With a hope- 

 less shudder I deposit my gun in a corner of the 

 room and take my seat. We breakfasted at ten, 

 but the " unwonted " exercise (alas ! it should be so) 

 has given the youngsters an appetite, and their 

 tongues are tied for ten minutes, before worthy Mr 

 Shorthorn, the tenant, produces a bottle of " that 

 very fine old port" he so wishes the Squire to 

 taste. I am not exaggerating when I state that 

 lunch lasted a good hour. Then his pigs are in- 

 spected, and what with the wine and the waiting, I 



