s young days.

Mostyn House, where Grenfell lived, overlooked the estuary. From the
windows of his father's house he could see the fishing smacks going
out upon the great adventurous sea and coming back laden with fish.

Living by the sea where he heard the roar of the breakers and every
day smelled the good salt breath of the ocean, it was natural that he
should love it, and to learn, almost as soon as he could run about,
to row and sail a boat, and to swim and take part in all sorts of
water sports. Time and again he went with the fishermen and spent the
night and the day with them out upon the sea. This is why it was
fortunate that he was born at Parkgate, for his life there as a boy
trained him to meet adventures fearlessly and prepared him for the
later years which were destined to be years of adventure.

Far up the river, wide marshes reached; and over these marshes, and
the Sands of Dee, Grenfell roamed at will. His father and mother were
usually away during the long holidays when school was closed, and he
and his brothers were left at these times with a vast deal of freedom
to do as they pleased and seek the adventure that every boy loves, and
on the sands and in the marshes there was always adventure enough to
be found.

Shooting in the marshes and out upon the sands was a favorite sport,
and when not with the fishermen Grenfell was usually to be found with
his gun stalking curlew, oyster diggers, or some other of the numerous
birds that frequented the marshes and shores. Barefooted, until the
weather grew too cold in autumn, and wearing barely enough clothing to
cover his nakedness, he would set out in early morning and not return
until night fell.

As often as not he returned from his day's hunting empty handed so far
as game was concerned, but this in no wise detracted from the pleasure
of the hunt. Game was always worth the getting, but the great joy was
in being out of doors and in tramping over the wide flats. With all
the freedom given him to hunt, he early learned that no animals or
birds were to be killed on any account save for food or purposes of
study. This is the rule of every true sportsman. Grenfell has always
been a great hunter and a fine shot, but he has never killed
needlessly.

Young Grenfell through these expeditions soon learned to take a great
deal of interest in the habits of birds and their life history. This
led him to try his skill at skinning and mounting specimens. An old
fi