66 WILD LIFE ON A NORFOLK ESTUARY 



" That made nine /" said Pestell, narrating the adventure 

 to me. 



Higher up the walls, Pestell met a manservant from the 

 parsonage, who inquired if he had seen the parson's geese, 

 telling him there was a "rare row" up at Burgh about the 

 job, for only a few had come home, and they were bleeding, 

 and woefully ruffled in plumage. 



" Pero " was by no means unalarmed at this, but said 

 nothing incriminating about himself or Gibbs. On arriving 



home he went to the late Lawyer W , who was well 



disposed toward him, and told his story. 



" Look here," said Lawyer W * , pointing to a bill 

 stating that " five pounds reward for information respecting 

 some gunner, or gunners, maliciously," etc. etc. Pestell begged 

 the bill to show to his chums ; and was advised to get Gibbs 

 to go and claim the reward, and he (the lawyer) would do his 

 best for them, and would share the reward equally among 

 them. But the pair of sportsmen thought it best to hold 

 their peace, and as they shared the geese among those 

 Breydoners who were in the secret, no one gave the game 

 away. And there the matter ended. 



" I kept one for myself," said Pestell, " but good night ! I 

 couldn't get my teeth into it !" 



IN A BREYDON PUNT SHED 



At the entrance of Breydon, on the south side, stands a 

 range of boat and yacht sheds, the latter now frequently in 

 disuse, owing to the falling-off of Breydon in late years as a 

 favourite yachting resort The great swing-bridge thrown 

 across that narrowest part of Breydon which, even at its 

 best, was always a ticklish part to negotiate on certain winds, 

 has damped altogether the yachtsman's ardour, which had for 

 years been on the wane. Yachting folk to-day prefer the 

 Waveney and the Bure with the adjacent Broads. But 

 several of these sheds are now used by punt-gunners, who 

 find them exceedingly convenient. They usually boast a 

 little cabin which opens into the punt-shed, fronting which is 

 a slide furnished with rollers for easy exit and hauling. 



