Dartmoor. 155 



and the misery of being confined to the house 

 for a whole fortnight through an injury to 

 my foot in cUmbing one of the Tors, and on 

 another occasion being completely snowed up 

 for a similar period, I enjoyed myself after my 

 own fashion and to my heart's content. 



One piece of luck happened to me while I 

 was laid up with a sprained foot. I had never 

 up to this time had the good fortune to kill a 

 right and left at woodcocks, though I had had 

 several chances. Something always went Vv'rong, 

 I stepped in a hole just at the moment of 

 flinging up my gun, or some tree or bush 

 always was in the way. If none of these contre- 

 temps happened, then I bungled in some 

 inexplicable way, though I was generally very 

 successful in killing cocks, having succeeded 

 in attaining the necessary coolness ; but I did 

 manage it at last when least expected. 



One day, when I had got tired of my books, 

 and hardly knew how to get through the time 

 till dinner was ready, one of those half-poach- 

 ing, half-sportsmen sort of fellows I have 

 mentioned before, who are sure to make the 

 acquaintance of any sportsman who comes 

 into their neighbourhood, and who had made 



