THE THIEF AND POACHEK. 85 



they reel to the adjacent manor ripe for murder 

 — all going out, in their maudlin phraseology, 

 for ^' death or glory." 



If the house they thus left was a receiving 

 house for stolen game, and they had not money 

 enough at their command to purchase what is 

 called ^^ Dutch courage," they bargain Avith the 

 publican, rogue, and sinner, for an advance of 

 beer, binding themselves to let him have the 

 proceeds of their thefts in game at so much less 

 than the market price, so as to insure him a 

 considerable per-centage for the risk he ran of 

 losing his money in the event of their being 

 captured, or designedly absconding from the 

 neighbourhood and his claim. 



The village poacher is always a dirty, idle, 

 drunken, ragged, bad man. He will never do a 

 day's honest work if he can help it ; and his 

 wife and his children, if he has them, are always 

 dirty, illiterate, and half-starved; while the 

 lurcher that follows him, or lies at his cottage- 

 door, is sleek and in fair condition. If he has 

 a successful night or day, and receives any money 

 on tlic immediate transaction, not one farthing 

 of it is expended on his wife and famished 



