THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



other boy to pause. But Frank was not to be daunted. With 

 the branches trembUng under him, onward he went to his 

 point, and putting his hand into tlie nest, cried out, ' Who- 

 whoop /—I've done it ! Here are two eggs in the nest,' which 

 he instantly put into his mouth, to secure them from being 

 broken in the descent. 



' Glad to see you safe down, sir,' said Jem Perren ; ' I was 

 mortally frightened for you; and, if you had tumbled, what 

 would my lady have said to me ? ' 



'Oh,' said Frank, 'if I was, like Andrew, to do nothing 

 but what mamma likes, I shouldn't have much fun. But, Jem, 

 I am sorry to see the rooks have begun to lay, for it shows 

 that it will soon be over with hunting for this year. How 

 curiously these eggs are speckled ! but they are not all speckled 

 alike.' 



At this moment Mr. Egerton made his appearance, and asked 

 who had been taking rooks' eggs, as it was Mr. Baby's orders 

 they should not be touched. Frank at once confessed him- 

 self the culprit, having suffered enough, on a former occasion, 

 from concealing the truth,— in plainer English, telling a 

 direct lie. 



' Do you see what misery you have inflicted on those poor 

 birds, which are hovering round their empty nest ? ' continued 

 Mr. Egerton. ' For my own part, I have always been a great 

 admirer of birds— their notes, their nests, their eggs, and all 

 the economy of their lives ; — nor have we, throughout the order 

 of creation, any beings that so continually engage our attention 

 as these our feathered companions. It is my opinion, that 

 whosoever can exercise cruelty towards a sparrow or a wren, 

 the most insignificant of birds, would, when circumstances 

 enabled him, be cruel to his fellow-creatures.' 



' But, sir,' observed Jem Perren, ' father says, " take every 

 nest you see, Jem ; they are nothing but varmint " : so I knows 

 not what to do ; and you knows, sir, our farmers gives sixpence 

 a dozen for young sparrows; and in the last year's church- 

 warden's account, I see'd, with my own eyes, seventeen shillings 

 paid for seventeen dozen tomtit's heads, three and fourpence of 

 which came to my share.' 



This was something of a damper for fine sentiment; and 

 Mr Eo-erton, taking out his watch, observed that it wanted but 

 half an hour of dinner-time. 



55 



