268 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



kept the hamper-lid down, put the lid back glee- 

 fully, and looked at his coveted treasure. There 

 sat a great rough-coated marsh-hare looking hard 

 at "Joyful"; but only for a moment, for with 

 one loud cry of " Aunt ! " he was out and about, 

 a very whirlwind of a hare ! It seemed to " Joy- 

 ful" he saw hares in all directions, so rapid were 

 the creature's bounds. Flying to the window, he 

 opened the casement. Out went the hare down 

 the long garden path, and from thence into the 

 marshes, leaving "Joyful" in a condition not to 

 be described. 



Those who have never been on the flats of tidal 

 rivers at night and early morning, for the purpose 

 of listening to bird voices, would be astonished at 

 the perfect Babel of cries, all going on at the same 

 time. I mean in such places as where the Thames 

 and Medway meet the tide. The fowl call when 

 on flight, and keep up a conversation with each 

 other when feeding. No wonder the superstition 

 about hell-hounds exists even now. Many of the 

 folks believe that spirits are rushing through the 

 air, wailing because the hounds are in fierce pur- 

 suit of them. The flats themselves must pass away 



