256 WITH THE WOODLANDERS. 



ous topic to touch on, but as the questions were 

 followed up by a glass of his " most pertickler," 

 offered free of cost, and as the landlord usually 

 was ready to purchase any fowl that old Craft 

 wanted to sell, the reference to a tussle he had 

 had, in night-shirt and cap, with his cantankerous 

 swine was allowed to pass. 



" Now then, Craft, what ails ye ? " he was 

 asked again, as he put down his glass. 



" Well, I shot and missed him," was the laconic 

 but vague reply. 



" Sure-ly, ye ain't pulled on that 'ere new coy- 

 man, have ye ? " The coy man referred to was 

 the man in charge of the great duck-decoy. 



" No, 'twas a bird ; I never sin one like it 

 afore." 



This statement reaching the ears of the cus- 

 tomers in the bar-parlour (birds concerned every 

 one in various ways), out they walked to hear 

 about it. "Wet up, Craft, an' yarn it off to us." 



" I was comin' over the last ma'sh afore you 

 gits to Stangate creek, when up gits a bird some- 

 thin' bigger 'an a coot, with white feathers a- 

 hangin' down his back. I got a bit flustered, 



