226 TEN YEARS OF GAME-KEEPING 
interests of sport, but in fairness to the beaters. If, 
however, you care to stipulate with each beater 
when you engage him, on the basis of no shooting 
no pay, or so much shooting so much pay, you are 
at perfect liberty to do so; but you will not find it 
an easy job to obtain beaters. 
Beaters who are in regular work on farms often 
can return to it when shooting is put off or curtailed, 
but since their farm pay naturally is deducted when 
they are lent for beating, they should be paid so 
that they lose nothing. Beyond the broad lines 
already suggested, one should not be expected 
to indemnify piece-workers (for instance, copse- 
workers), who, if it were too wet to shoot, would 
not be able to follow their usual occupation. 
Lunch should be ample recompense to men who 
would lose nothing by going to and returning from 
the place of meeting, except when they are asked 
to wait. 
A word on catering for beaters may be useful, 
especially to those ladies who still have any influence 
over their cooks. I venture to suggest that some 
culinary divinities themselves may be grateful— 
inwardly, of course—for a hint concerning so 
plebeian an affair as a beaters’ lunch. For every 
beater, take three-quarters of a pound of raw meat 
without bone (roasting round or boiling silverside 
are the most satisfactory joints), a quarter of a 
pound of cheese, and one-third of a quartern-loaf, 
