IN "THE GOOD OLD TIMES." 127 



critter ye be,' sez Moocher ; ' it's a wonder ye have 

 the heart to kill yer fowls before ye roast 'em. What 

 a lot ye have got, to be sure ! ' 



" ' You shall have a notice writ, and brought ye by 

 the constable, to keep off my land/ roars the farmer. 



" ' Oh, shall I ? Well, let it be writ big an' plain, 

 for I ain't no scollard. It ain't to be reckoned on 

 as I should be. 'Twere only t'other day some on 

 'em said I wurn't able to tell the difference 'twixt 

 what was mine an' what was other folkses ; but they 

 must ha' bin jokinV 



" The farmer's lawyer sent him a note sayin' he 

 must keep off of his lands. Moocher said it was a 

 pictur', it was writ so plain. A week arter that the 

 farmer was woke up by the blaze of his rickyard all 

 afire. The horns was sounded, and the folks all 

 came helping ; but there warn't too many of 'em. 

 The farmer see a man marchin' to and fro in the 

 main road ; he runs out to ask him to help, and finds 

 it was Moocher. 



" ' Now, then/ he sez, ' give a hand here ! ' 



" He was flustered, ye know. Moocher grinned at 

 him like a devil, and sez he 



" ' I jest should like to help, that I should ; but I 



