A WILD GOOSE CHASE 273 



git a shot into they varmints o' geeze as easy as yew could 

 into yonder chuckens " — pointing to a lot of barndoor 

 fowl. " The owd dun mare hev been turned down in 

 the grazin' ma'sh ever since October, 'cause she be past 

 work, like ; and she do graze within a yard of the birds 

 without them a-taking any sort o' notice of her, so used 

 hev they become to her owd carcase. When she do come 

 up to the stack-yard to-night, us'U keep her there till 

 marnin', put a halter on her, and you'll creep up to they 

 geeze alongside o' she easy enough." 



Having delivered himself of the foregoing oration, 

 Togood puffed at a short and particularly black clay- 

 pipe and waited for Conway to congratulate him on the 

 fertility of his brain. Jack did so by remarking, " First 

 catch the mare and then stalk the geese " ; for he knew 

 the skittish, twenty-three year old steed was a perfect 

 demon to catch in spite of years and stiffness ; and as for 

 geese — well, as already stated, he had stalked them from 

 boyhood to middle-age without success. 



" Will 'ee try to get at 'em with the mare ? " anxiously 

 inquired the bailiff, who was really a good fellow, and as 

 keen as mustard where wildfowl are concerned ; and who 

 seemed terribly disappointed at Conway showing so little 

 enthusiasm in his suggested scheme. 



" All right, Togood ; do you capture the mare, and I'll 

 have one more wild goose chase," was the reply. " And 

 now go and see what the good wife can provide for supper, 

 for I'm devilish hungry after my long ride across the 

 sands." 



