266 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



claws drawed up like a ma'sh-hawk, a reg'lar jipes 

 o' a thing he looked." Very cautiously had he 

 tried to get hold of the bird's legs, for he well 

 knew the fighting capabilities of the bittern, but 

 the " her'n " was too quick. He grappled Baulk 

 like a cat, the claws of both feet going to work, 

 and the bill as well. If he had got his bittern, 

 he had also got something to remember. 



Some places Baulk had permission to visit, those 

 that belonged to my own friends, who grazed on 

 the marshes ; but leave or no leave, nothing stopped 

 him. He and his musket, with the help of his 

 trusty leaping - pole, swung all over the district 

 with a rapidity that was amazing. One grazier, 

 a fresh comer, on seeing him on his marsh, told 

 his looker to catch him. The man could hardly 

 believe his ears. When the full sense of the order 

 broke on him, he simply looked at his employer, 

 and slowly said, " Ketch him ! ketch him ! why 

 it's Baulk ! " There was a lot of dry humour about 

 the man which found vent at times among his 

 acquaintances. "Joyful" Price, the little baker, 

 was one of these. "Joyful" was a nickname given 

 to the man because he was continually on the 



