THE POACHERS. 247 



" What/' said I, " have you been twice since Sunday and now it's 

 only Wednesday night ?" 



" Yes/' said he ; " so has Mike Anderson ; that's nothing, man 

 -sometimes we go in a morning, often if we happen to know when 

 there's a fox-hunting at any distance, because then we feel sure that 

 the old squire's safe." 



" Well/' said I, " but what part do you intend leading us to to- 

 night ?" 



" Why/' said he, " if you and that gentleman is'nt chicken- 

 hearted, I should like to have a draw pretty near old Squire Beckett's 

 hall ; it's many a long day since I had, and I know that hares grow 

 about there as plentiful as yellow broom-flowers ; besides we're a 

 pretty strong party, it a'nt one or two that will take us." 



" Oh, by all means," said the stranger, " let's go again the old 

 squire's hall if you think we shall have the most sport you'll find 

 me no coward." 



fe Agreed," said Woodcock, and strode away to overtake Mike 

 and Smith, who were all glee when they shared his tidings. 



" Were you ever on an expedition like this before ?" said the 

 stranger. 



" Never," answered I, " although I am well acquainted with the 

 scenery ; were you ? 



" No/' said he, " neither would I have come now did I not 

 hope that we should be caught and brought before the old squire, 

 who, by the way, is a magistrate." 



" What," said I, " if we should be caught and committed to 

 Southwell for a month, will it not be a dearish joke ? There's no 

 other alternative but to go or pay the penalty, which, although we 

 might do, the others could not." 



Instead of making an immediate reply, the stranger burst out into 

 an immoderate fit of laughter, which he with difficulty suppressed. 



" Come," said he, " I will now be candid with you upon condi- 

 tion that you will not betray my secret, unless some unexpected 

 emergency requires it." 



I promised. 



" I have," said he, " been on the continent during the last three 

 years, and have but recently returned. Previous to my tour, I paid 

 my addresses to Emma, Squire Beckett's only daughter, and a lovelier 

 angel never trod the starry galleries of heaven. Every thing pro- 

 ceeded smoothly until the last general election, when my father and 

 Emma's met at Lincoln as leaders of opposite parties ; the contest 

 ran high, and the party for which my father interested himself proved 

 victorious, which so enraged the old squire, that he discharged me 

 from ever again seeing his daughter. My father was too proud to 

 offer any apology, and I too much in love to obey his orders, so we 

 met by stealth ; indeed, it was her mother's wish that we should be 

 united, as we were sincerely attached to each other. I have not seen 

 the lovely girl since my return, but carried on a regular correspon- 

 dence in my absence, both with Emma and her mother, who are 

 as firmly devoted to my happiness as ever. I have also won my 

 father's consent to the marriage, but the old squire is pbdurate. I 



