22 The Confessions of a ^Poacher. 



which drove us to the the moor and covert at 

 night was only the same as was strongly im- 

 planted in the breast of Lord , our 



neighbour, who was a legitimate sportsman 

 and a Justice of the Peace. If we were not 

 allowed to see much real poaching when 



we were young 

 we saw a good 

 deal of the pre- 

 parations for it. 

 As the leaves 

 began to turn in 

 autumn there 

 was great activ- 

 ity in our old 

 home among 

 nets and snares. 

 When wind and 

 feather were 

 a vourable, 

 late after- 

 noon brought home my father, and his wires 

 and nets were already spread on the clean 

 sanded floor. There was a peg to sharpen, or 



