CHARLES WATERTON, ESQ. Xxv 
nature. Birds, in particular, used to frequent the 
spacious enclosure, both to obtain food and to enjoy 
security. Many a time have I hunted there, the 
foumart and the squirrel. I once took a cut through 
it to a neighbouring wood, where I knew of a carrion 
crow’s nest. The prefect missed me; and, judging 
that I had gone into the labyrinth, he gave chase 
without loss of time. After eluding him in cover for 
nearly half an hour, being hard pressed, I took away 
down a hedgerow. Here (as I learned afterwards), 
he got a distant sight of me; but it was not suffi- 
ciently distinct for him to know to a certainty that 
I was the fugitive. I luckily succeeded in reaching 
the out-buildings which abutted on the college, and 
lay at a considerable distance from the place where I 
had first started. I had just time to enter the postern 
gate of a pigsty, where most opportunely I found 
old Joe Bowren, the brewer, bringing straw into the 
sty. He was more attached to me than to any other 
boy, for I had known him when I was at school in 
the north, and had made him a present of a very fine 
terrier. “I’ve just saved myself, Joe,” said I; 
* cover me up with litter.” He had barely complied 
with my request, when in bounced the prefect, by 
the same gate through which I had entered. “‘ Have 
you seen Charles Waterton?” said he, quite out of 
breath. My trusty guardian answered, in a tone of 
voice which would have deceived any body, * Sir, 
I have not spoken a word to Charles Waterton these 
three days, to the best of my knowledge.” Upon 
this, the prefect, having lost all scent of me, gave up 
the pursuit, and-went his way. When he had dis- 
