Old Bex. 133 



It happened, in the course of time, that the 

 old gentleman who shot over the outlying farms 

 I have mentioned went the way of all flesh, 

 and departed this hfe ; and his son, who was a 

 crony of mine, had the shooting over the farms 

 given to him entirely, and having determined 

 to have it looked after properly, had appointed 

 Ben to do so. Of course there was an end to 

 his and my snipe-shooting, at least over this 

 ground, and we had to look out for " fresh 

 fields and (snipe) pastures new." I used to be 

 asked sometimes to shoot over it with my 

 friend. It was really good partridge ground, 

 and I have had many a good day's sport there 

 with Ben, of course, as keeper now ; but he 

 had not discarded my lord's old suit and hat for 

 the ordinary keeper's stereotyped velveteen coat 

 and breeches and gaiters. No, Ben stuck to 

 his well-cut but (as they appeared on him) 

 somewhat incongruous-looking garments. 



Although the appointment must have added 

 considerably to Ben's means, I believe he 

 would rather have gone on in the old way over 

 his " own beat." Now, the looking after the 

 game on this place did not of course take up 

 Ben's whole time, and he went to other beats 



