SHOOTING WITHOUT A CERTIFICATE. 239 



liast broken thy hoe." The labourer liimself laughed 

 immoderately at the miposition and quahitness of 

 Dewy. At last this tenant, at dusk one evening, 

 when he thought the coast was clear, fired into the 

 midst of a tame covey which had flown over my fence 

 to jug or roost on his stubble ; he wounded three or 

 four, and two fell dead on my land. Up got De^vy, 

 who witnessed the whole transaction. " Worse nor the 

 rabbut this ! " he cried ; " and it'll cost thee a good deal 

 more." His remark was perfectly true, for the tenant 

 had to pay a fine of ten pounds under the tax acts, 

 and, all too late, the cost of a game certificate, 

 besides expenses ; in addition to this, he was fined for 

 cutting and using a portion of my hedgerow. Upon 

 this farm now is located an excellent farmer and man, 

 named Hailey. I used to rent the shooting of the 

 farm he had before he came to this ; and in the thir- 

 teen years I have known him I never had reason to 

 be displeased. If it ever falls to my lot to have 

 a farm to let, and he wanted one, he should not be 

 five minutes at a loss. 



