THE POACHERS. 



" It is so;" answered the 'Squire ; " still I must act by the present 

 laws until we have others more just. I hope our Legislature will 

 consider the game laws in a different manner than what they have. 

 (To the farmer-men). After you have refreshed yourselves you can 

 go home ; the prisoners are personally known, so there is no fear of 

 their attempting to escape." 



f( You can leave the game until you return," said he to Woodcock, 

 who was replacing his load which he had thrown down before com- 

 mencing his defence. 



" Your very kind, Sir/' was Woodcock's answer, " but they are 

 not very heavy, thank you, some's only smallish," and away we 

 marched into the kitchen. 



When we entered the servant's hall I perceived one of the draw- 

 ing-room chairs planted at the head of the table ; a tumbler and a 

 small table-cloth was likewise spread for its occupier; the rest of the 

 table was uncovered, saving with the good things of the 'Squire's 

 pantry. 



" Have the kindness to take this chair, Sir," said the interesting 

 Mary to the stranger. She was half as handsome as her young mistress. 

 A fine sirloin of cold beef began to disappear before the repeated 

 attacks made in our behalf by the keeper, as if it had been touched 

 by the wonderful wand of Titania. The black-jack * rumbled along 

 the thick oak-table, from which we filled our horns, as from an inex- 

 haustible fountain. A bottle of wine was placed before the stranger. 



" Do you see in what quarter the wind sits ? " whispered Woodcock 

 to Mike, as Mary drew the cork ; no doubt the honest fellow thought 

 the stranger had made an impression on Mary's heart, which caused 

 her to pay him so much attention. Venison pastry, fruit pies, and 

 Stilton cheese completed our repast. 



" I should like to be catched every night," said Woodcock, " if I 

 could always get such a supper as this." 



" The scales have turned," said Mike ; " instead of looking on 

 poachers like robbers, they began to treat us like brother sportsmen." 



Smith unbuttoned his waistcoat and said, " I have eaten enough to 

 serve me for a month ; I shall never be afraid of being catched for 

 poaching any more." 



The black-jack rumbled round the table, every cheek grew more 

 rosy, every eye more bright, and every tongue more quick. The 

 dogs had eaten their fill and lay stretched at ease before the crack- 

 ling fire, which roared up a wide old chimney that would have 

 admitted a whole trio of broom-striding witches. 



* A black-jack is a large flacket, made to contain ale ; it runs upon two 

 wheels, and is placed upon the table in the servant's-hall ; they generally push 

 it one to the other to fill their drinking horns. I am not certain that the word 

 " flacket " occurs in any dictionary ; it is a small barrel, and is mentioned in 

 the following old nursery song : 



" Little Bill Blewitt, come blow up your horn, 



The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn ; 



But where is the little boy tending the sheep ? 



Under the hag-cock fast asleep, 



With bread in his budget, and cheese in his bag, 



And ale in his flacket, like a good lad." 



