BY THE MILL-STREAM. 151 



yourself and a few friends because you're fond of all 

 live things ? " 



"Yes." 



"Well, there's time wuss wasted than doin' that. 

 Did ye ever send any of it to be printed ? " 



" Not a line." 



" Quite as well perhaps ye didn't, the way you 

 looks at things. One place where I was keeper 

 before I come about here it's some time ago now 

 master used to have a friend come to see him, 

 a reg'lar nat'ralist, a big gun, no mistake ! Well, 

 he showed me some of his books. There was a lot 

 of it wrong ; I proved it to be so. What then ? I 

 got the sack. People that never see things, and then 

 give a full and pertic'lar account, knows more about 

 'em than men that have watched their movements 

 all their lifetime, you may depend on't." 



I bid my friend good night, and promise to see 

 him again before I go. The old cottage comes in 

 sight, and I am glad of it, feeling a little tired after 

 my wanderings by the mill-stream. 



