140 The Confessions of a 'Poacher. 



may say that it was somewhat painful to myself 

 as well as my bag carrier. And I am sorry to 

 say that the keeper was summarily dismissed 

 by the enraged squire as a reward for his inno- 

 cence. As to the coverts, they were so well 

 stocked, that after a few days' rest there 

 appeared as much game as ever, and the 

 contents of our little bag were hardly 

 missed. 



Another trick to which my co- 

 worker used to resort was to 

 attire himself in broad -brimmed 

 t and black coat similar 

 to those worn a century 

 ago by the people called 

 Quakers. In the former he 

 carried his nets, and in the capa- 

 cious pockets of the latter the game 

 he took. These outward guarantees of 

 good faith, away from his own parish, 

 precluded him from ever once being 

 searched. I have already^remarked, 

 and every practical poacher knows 

 it to beltne fact, that the difficulty is 



