214 A GAMEKEEPER'S NOTE-BOOK 



sportsman agreed in the marvel of the escape, adding 

 to its wonder by pointing out that his shot had been 

 fired at a distance of five hundred yards from the 

 cottage and in the opposite direction. " Allow 

 me," he said, " to buy back these wonderful pellets 

 at a fair market price " and he handed the country- 

 man twopence. 



In rural villages, keen sportsmen are often found 



beneath the uniforms of the policeman and the post- 



man. No one knows better than the keeper 



PoSromen how USeful ii: is to be n f riendl y ^ terms 

 with the policeman and no one knows 



better how to manage it. Often policeman and post- 

 man may be found doing duty as beaters, especially 

 during September partridge shooting, when the 

 harvest is late and out-of-work labourers are few. 

 If you see through his disguise of plain clothes, the 

 policeman will remark how he just thought he would 

 have a walk for an hour or two, just to oblige Mr. 

 Keeper. Upholding the law and delivering the post 

 mean much walking : and country policemen and 

 postmen, when passing along the roads early and 

 late, find the haunt of many a fine covey. Being 

 good sportsmen, they take note of the customary 

 line of flight ; and if you own some of the land of 

 the covey's haunting they can tell you almost to a 

 minute when the birds leave the turnips beyond the 

 boundary for your stubble. 



