Rabbit Shooting. 101 



mounted a long churchwarden clay, and songs and speeches followed 

 each other rapidly. 



Giles got great fun out of Johnnes and the owl — said that he'd 

 committed suicide and shot hisself, and said that "he ought to he 

 huried at the four cross roads wi' a stake in his belly. In regard o' 

 the stake, there wa'n't much difficulty as he see, 'cos he gen'Uy had 

 one there 'bout tew o'clock, or thereaway s, four days out of seven " — an 

 insinuation at which even the victim grinned, — "and in regard o' the 

 cross roads, why, if the widder had no objections, no doubt Johnnes 

 wouldn't object to bury hisself there." At this there was much laughter, 

 for the cross roads were just outside the inn door, and the landlady of 

 the Plough was known to be a weakness to friend Johnnes." Then 

 Barber had a turn at Giles, and Top sawyer took a little go all round; 

 and then his health was proposed with vociferous cheers, and he made a 

 hearty characteristic reply, and announced that the bag of the day consisted 

 of 170 rabbits, forty hares, a leash of cocks, and various small fry, as 

 pigeons, &c. ; and there was a hare apiece for each, and as many rabbits 

 as each liked to take. And when we closed a very joUy day we packed 

 ourselves up in our cart among a perfect heap of rabbits and hares, lighted 

 our pipes and our lamps, and amidst a fire of good wishes and " good nights " 

 set our faces homewards. 



['lL fee him, and riEK HIM, AND FEEEET HIM.' 



