BY THE MILL-STREAM. 149 



pouncin' down. He ain't knocked about, and you 

 can have him to draw in that book of yours. You 

 and I have a goodish bit of a chat at times when 

 we meet, and I find we looks at things pretty much 

 in the same way. One thing I know, so do you, 

 if gentlemen want to see sylvan ornaments that's 

 the name, ain't it ? about the place, it's no good 

 their grumblin', because they gets their livin' off it. 

 If they has strict views about the game the other 

 things must go. There ain't no help for it, that's 

 certain. They was made to catch things, and catch 

 'em they will." 



Herons are spoken of. I ask if they trouble him 

 in the autumn months. Giving me a sharp look, 

 he says, " Yes, they give me a lot of trouble ; where 

 they come from gets over me. The trout run up 

 the dykes and the moor-stream, from all quarters, 

 to spawn. Then the varmints get 'em easy. Any- 

 thing of a herrin'-size goes down clean. The big 

 uns they drives a hole through, and gets 'em to 

 pieces after. I'm busy at that time, for my chap 

 Joe and some of the others goes round about the 

 place with a sort of water-cart the squire had sent 

 him from some society he belongs to, and they 



