i2 4 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



knows the places where they used to hide their 

 plunder. It was no matter to them what it was 

 game, or sheep, or any mortal thing. All our folks 

 round here was in real dread of that lot, and if they 

 thought you'd said anything about what you'd seen 

 of their doings when you'd bin working in the forest, 

 they'd threaten to kill ye, and more than that, they'd 

 do it, when they'd the chance ! Mother recklects 

 one of the wust of 'em being warned off the medders 

 where the trout - stream runs through. He'd bin 

 after the trout and took a lot. The miller that was 

 there in those days was a mettlesome man, and he 

 didn't care a brass button fur the best man among 

 'em, if it came to a fair stand-up tussle ; but that 

 warn't their game; they was a murderin', skulkin' 

 lot, and what they did was done in the dark. A 

 week arter that lot had bin warned off, the miller 

 was woke up by what he took to be a woman's 

 voice screaming fur help under the winder of his 

 sleepin' room. He jumps out o' bed and opens the 

 winder, shouting out as he did it : * What is it ? 

 I'm coming ! ' 



" It was that varmint he'd warned off his medders, 

 and as soon as the miller showed hisself he took 



