The First of September. 11 



There is no need to prolong the relation. We found as many birds as 

 gave us work. The dogs acted superbly, rarely making a fault. We shot 

 fairly well, and a more enjoyable day I hardly remember. One curious 

 thing happened : Tom shot a bird which was a runner, and which took into a 

 little three-cornered plantation where there were rabbits, and some rough 

 grass and bushes. 



"Here, Bess, old lady, hie lost there!" and the bitch went into the 

 shrubbery and stood, but rather undecidedly. 



"What's the meaning of that?" In we went ^nd found her standing 

 over a rabbit- hole. 



" Drat the bird, he's run into this here hole, sure as peas ! " said Sam, 

 thrusting his arm into it ; "I can't feeld of un. Yes, I can ; I touched un 

 then and he moved ! There he is again ; I got un. Whoy, what ails the 

 bird ? a won't coom ; durn his picter ! Wot's this 'ere ? There's summit 

 a-hangin to un; " and out he lugged the bird with a large ferret hanging on 

 like grim death. " Why, bust my old breeches if it ben't that scamp Joe 

 Hickson's creetur ; I thought I seed un slink away from here tliis morning. 

 The fer't wur laid up, that's sartin ; and he couldn't chance to wait for'n, 

 but thought to pick 'n up this evening. Well, well, well ! To be sure ! I 

 han't had a better find nor this for a year or more. Joe's mortial fond o' this 

 ere fer't, and if I don't clear the place o' he along of it, never trust me ; " 

 and Sam did. By returning the ferret to Hickson he not only cleared their 

 ground of him, but made a friend of liim, and one who proved useful more 

 than once. 



Having the ferret, we worked him a bit, and shot half a dozen bunnies for 

 our own amusement, then struck down to the "Dribble," a pretty trout 

 stream, where I saw some famous trout feeding, and where a certain young 

 lady landed several for me two days after, and we boiled a kettle and cooked 

 the fish, and saw an old ruined tower half liidden in trees and ivy, specially 

 constructed for the convenience of young ladies and gentlemen who wanted 

 to say something tremendously private to each other, and not to be heard by 

 outsiders. Dear me ! Dear me ! I was then eight or nine stone in my boots, 

 I am now thirteen in my bathing towel ; and she is married to a stockbroker 

 who is prosperous. 



