160 NATURE IN DOWNLAND 



at the same place. There was a stony spot there, 

 where the ground was quite covered with bleached 

 flints, with many chipped specimens among them, 

 and late in the day, while waiting for the sun to 

 set, I amused myself by turning over and examining 

 these fragments. A babble of voices in eager dis- 

 cussion reached my ears and grew louder and nearer, 

 and at length I spied coming over the hill towards 

 me the same three vagabonds I had met there before. 

 And again, on first catching sight of me stooping 

 among the bushes, they were greatly alarmed, and 

 becoming silent separated and hid themselves in 

 the furze. After watching me for some time they 

 made the discovery that I was the harmless person 

 whose business it was to watch birds encountered 

 some days before, and coming out from hiding they 

 went on their way. When they had got past me 

 the same man who had talked with me on the 

 former occasion turned back and came up to where 

 I was standing. He still wanted to talk, but I did 

 not encourage him. Then he stood silent for some 

 time watching me picking up flints, and at last he 

 said, " I see that you are interested in flints. I 

 found a very curious one the other day, which I 

 think you would like to see. It is perfectly round 

 like a bullet, and weighs about a pound. It has a 

 hole in it, and I think it is hollow inside. I hid 

 it under a furze bush, and you can see it if you 

 will go to the place with me." I told him that 



