"To be frank, Sir Junius, I don't much care for betting--for that's what it comes to--here.

Also I think Mr.Quatermain said yesterday that he had never shot pheasants in England, so the match seems scarcely fair.

However, you gentlemen know your own business best.

Only I must tell you both that if money is concerned, I shall have to set someone whose decision will be final to count your birds and report the number to me." "Agreed," said Van Koop, or, rather, Sir Junius; but I answered nothing, for, to tell the truth, already I felt ashamed of the whole affair.
As it happened, Lord Ragnall and I walked together ahead of the others, to the first covert, which was half a mile or more away.
"You have met Sir Junius before ?" he said to me interrogatively.
"I have met Mr.van Koop before," I answered, "about twelve years since, shortly after which he vanished from South Africa, where he was a well-known and very successful--speculator." "To reappear here.

Ten years ago he bought a large property in this neighbourhood.