2i8 Winter 



instead of the punishment that would be meted out to 

 .another. Once he laughed a certain nobleman, who is 

 also a renowned sailor, out of the judicial temper in the 

 same way. ' Sodger ' had been caught at the corner of 

 a preserve netting pheasants. ' Man Whiff/ said the 

 gamekeeper who took him, ' I'm sorry to meet you 

 here.' ' Dod, but I'm sorrier to meet you,' returned 

 the other. ' I doot you'll have to gaun up to the 

 castle,' went on the keeper. ' Houts, no,' replied the 

 poacher, ' that's far owre fine a place for me.' To the 

 castle he had to go, however, and 'Whiff' was shown 

 into the library that chamber of horror for culprits. 

 At that time the nobleman I have referred to was stay- 

 ing with his aunt, who was the owner of the estate. 

 When he came down Sodger was standing rapt in an 

 ecstasy before one of the pictures. ' Now, what have 

 you been doing ? ' asked his interlocutor sternly. 

 The prisoner made no direct reply, but with a hardly 

 noticeable glance out of the corner of his cunning grey 

 eye, struck an attitude of admiration, and exclaimed, 

 ' Lord, isn't that grand ! ' At a repetition of the 

 question he merely changed his position, and before 

 the portrait of an eighteenth-century dame cried out, 

 ' Dod, hinny, but that's a rare picter. Now I warrant 

 they would pay a five-pun note for that one.' ' Will 

 you answer my question ? ' said the impatient noble- 

 man, but, ' By George, here's a grander one still,' 

 cried the poacher, and went off into another rhapsody. 

 -So he continued till, perhaps, thinking the game might 



