WITH THE WOODLANDERS. 33 



century of ours, but it is the plain truth, and very 

 much more of the sort could be told. Wise women, 

 so-called, did not, however, rely on country people 

 for their ill gains. From towns where the church- 

 bells are ringing continually for service, men and 

 women still leave the sound of their calling to glean 

 information from a foul old hag ; and this within 

 an hour of London town. Infinite mischief, beyond 

 alllrepair, has she caused her dupes to pay for, and 

 they have to hold their tongues over it. 



When first I settled among the woodland folk, 

 I fancied they must get up to go to work in the 

 middle of the night, so very early did they rise; 

 but they went to bed early too. Until I got used 

 to it, I was very often startled out of my sleep 

 by the cries of wild creatures. Who could sup- 

 pose that the hooting and barking of an owl was 

 the signal to let others know some were passing 

 by, in the darkness, to their work ? But so it was. 

 One of the youngsters where I lived for a time 

 used to respond to this with the scream of the 

 vixen, when she answers reynard's bark. From the 

 hill-tops could be heard the blowing of cow-horns 

 some of them were masters in the art of horn- 



c 



