t is marvellous to note with what
a venomous hatred the beater regards the bunny. Pheasant or partridge he is
careless of; even the hare is, in comparison, a thing of nought, but let
him once set eyes on a rabbit, and his whole being seems to change. His eye
absolutely flashes, his chest heaves with excitement beneath the ancient
piece of sacking that protects his form from thorns. If the rabbit falls to
the shot, he yells with exultation; if it be missed, an expression of
morose and gloomy disappointment settles on his face, as who should say,
"Things are played out; the world is worthless!"

[Illustration: On their Beat.]

All these characteristics are the keeper's despair; though, to be sure, he
has staunch lieutenants in his under-keepers; and towards the end of the
day he can always count on two sympathising allies in the postman and the
policeman. These two never fail to come out in the afternoon to join the
beaters. It is amusing to watch the demeanour of the beaters in the
policeman's presence. Some of them, it is possible, have been immeshed by
the law, and have made the constable's acquaintance in his professional
capacity. Others are conscious of undiscovered peccadilloes, or they feel
that on some future day they may be led to transgress rules, of which the
policeman is the sturdy embodiment. None of them is, therefore, quite at
his best in the policeman's presence. Their attitude may be described
as one of uneasy familiarity, bursting here and there into jocular
nervousness, but never quite attaining the rollicking point. You may
sometimes take advantage of this feeling to let off a joke on a beater.
Select a stout, plethoric one, and say to him, "Mind you keep your eye on
the policeman, or he'll poach a rabbit before you can say knife." This
simple inversion of probabilities and positions is quite certain to "go." A
hesitating smile will first creep into the corners of the beater's eye.
After an interval spent in grappling with the jest, he will become purple,
and finally he will explode.

During the rest of the day you will hear him repeating your little
pleasantry either to himself or to his companions. You can keep it up by
saying now and then, "How many did the constable pocket that last beat?"
(_Shouts of laughter._) Thus shall your reputation as a humorist be
established amongst the beating fraternity--("that 'ere Muster JACKSON, 'e
do make a chap laugh, that 'e do," is the formula)--and if you revi