132 WOODLAND, MOOR, AND STREAM 



most familiar creature he is, but not of a confiding' 

 nature, though towards his master or mistress he is 

 most affectionate, and he takes care to be on the most 

 friendly terms with the children. No meal-time comes 

 round without his making one of their party ; he plays 

 with them, and if any mischief is going on, he and 

 they are sure to be equally mixed up in it together. 

 He thoroughly enjoys getting into mischief on his 

 own account too. I have see him tucked up under a 

 child's arm and borne away without his making the 

 least fuss about it. If any stranger tried to do the 

 same thing with him, their fingers would surely suffer. 

 Jack puts no faith in any one outside his own home circle. 

 The cottagers do not clip his wings unless he becomes 

 what they term ' too owdacious ' in his tricks, like one 

 of my own that used to make away with one or two 

 tubes of colour, and even my palette knife, if the 

 window of my painting-room chanced to be left open 

 whilst I was absent for a few minutes. On my return 

 he would fly up on to the window-sill and stick there ; 

 no coaxing would bring him down, and now and 

 again he would remind me he was not asleep by 

 shouting at the top of his voice, ' Jackup ! Jackup ! 

 Jack-e-e ! 



