MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE. 53 



We complained next day to the contractor, a man of great size 

 and strength, and whom, so the story ran, the navvies feared, as he 

 had won many battles as a prizefighter. He took us down the line 

 to identify our assailant, who however had thought it prudent to 

 decamp. 



During the holidays I spent a good deal of my time very 

 pleasantly in the company of the Rev. James Beck,* who, much to 

 my satisfaction, had come to Churchill, the next village, as curate. 

 He possessed what I considered a splendid collection of eggs ; and 

 indeed he collected ever}i:hing which appeared either curious or 

 rare. His house, from cellar to garret, was crammed with specimens 

 of old locks, rings, stamps, turnpike tickets, book-plates, flint 

 implements — nothing came amiss ; and reading up information 

 about these things he became quite an encyclopedia of knowledge, 

 so much so that I don't remember ever asking a reasonable question 

 which he could not answer. 



He was very popular with us all, as also with our neighbours — 

 rich and poor alike. Through him I acquired a collection of 

 sea-birds' eggs, which I was never tired of exhibiting to the farmers, 

 in fact to anyone whom I could induce to view them. The 

 " Foolish Guillemot," on such occasions, came in for a full share of 

 dissertation ; those who were overflowing with hilarity begging me 

 to repeat the bird's name for their amusement ; whilst the Q^^;g of 

 the Shearwater Petrel would generally elicit the wager of "a 

 guggle " t that I had " fetched it from a hen-roost," until I drew 

 attention to its musky odour. 



When I went to India, my brothers, who subsequently followed 

 me, would apply to Mr. Beck for information which no one else 

 could give ; and the answer which perhaps is best remembered — for 

 to this day it is often quoted by my brothers, accompanied with 

 laughter and a laconic jerk of the thumb over the left shoulder — is 

 " String 'em up ! String 'em up ! " the question being, how the 



* Now Rector of Bildeston, Suffolk. 

 t An empty snail-shell is called " a guggle" here, and gambling seldom extends beyond " guggle" wagers. 



