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-* 



