of the tall
fir and looked up at the nest, which was built on a branch quite near
the top.

'It is a stiff climb,' he thought, 'and it's a good thing I am not
heavy, or that branch would never bear me.'

But he was not a _Britannia_ cadet for nothing, and the harder the climb
the better fun he would think it, so up he scrambled.

A few minutes later a game-keeper came along, and stopped when he got
near the fir-tree.

'I will just put a charge of shot into that hawk's nest,' he said to
himself. 'Hawks do too much damage. I may catch the bird sitting there,
and at any rate I can smash the eggs.'

He raised his gun to take aim when a piercing yell seemed to come from
the sky. He lowered it hastily, and it was fortunate the shock did not
make him discharge it.

'Hold hard there!' came a shrill voice from the direction of the nest.
'If you don't look out, you will bring down a bigger bird than you
reckon for.'

The kestrel at this moment flew swiftly away, and the keeper was so
perturbed he missed his opportunity of bringing her down.

'Oh, it's you, is it, Master Ralph?' he shouted. 'I declare I never can
tell what prank you will be up to next. You do frighten a man most out
of his wits.'

'And what about me?' Ralph retorted. 'I have had about as much of a
scare as I want. It was hard-enough work getting up, without seeing the
ugly muzzle of a gun pointed at me. And a jolly good thing I did see it,
or you might have been had up for manslaughter.'

'Well, I like that!' muttered the game-keeper. 'I wonder who is about
his proper business--that daring young scamp, or a harmless man like
myself?'

But he knew from experience he did not often get the better of Ralph in
a war of words.

'As you are up there, sir,' he called, 'you might take all the eggs, and
then I need not waste my shot.'

'Right you are!' was the answer; but Ralph found there were seven, and
he thought of Marjorie's injunctions.

'I will leave a couple,' he decided, and even then he hardly saw how he
could get the others safely down. Two could be carried in his mouth in
the orthodox fashion, and the other three must take their chance in his
pocket; not much of a chance though, considering the scramble before
him.

However, he was soon on the ground beside the keeper, displaying his
treasures.

'A good set too,' he said, 'from rusty red to one almost white. But you
did give me a turn with that old gun.'

'I'm sure, sir, I am thankful en