148 AUGUST. 



before I had given you the information that would 

 have brought you here/' a It don't need a prophet 

 or fortune-teller to divine that," said I ; and continued 

 my operations, at which he was not slow to begin. 

 Dinner time arrived, and we adjourned to the " Stag" 

 to refresh the inner man. After dinner we again re- 

 paired to the common, when another collector appeared 

 upon the scene. After the usual greetings, silence 

 again ensued, each being intent upon his occupation, 

 when suddenly my " unprofitable companion" broke 

 the silence by exclaiming (at the same time giving a 



side-long glance at me), " I say, Z , if we have so 



many boys finding their way here, there won't be many 

 Peronea's left for the old ones : they'll be carrying 

 off common and all some day." To this sensible and 

 philosophic remark, the other mumbled out, " Ye'es." 

 Silence again for some time, when suddenly my " un- 

 profitable companion" became very friendly and com- 

 municative. Coming close to me, he said, "I say, 

 Dick, don't you see what Z is about ? He's pick- 

 ing larvae off blackberry, not sallow ! Those on the 

 blackberry are better things than those on the sallow ; 

 I intend following his example, and I'd advise you to 

 do the same." Suspecting this sudden friendship, but 

 not being able to rebut the assertion, I said nothing, 

 but determined to watch their movements, at the same 

 time picking larva? off blackberry ; when I very soon 

 found that my suddenly friendly companion only 

 picked blackberry when he thought I was looking, 

 and sallow when I was not. So much for his friendly 

 offices. His object in getting me to collect larvae on 

 blackberry instead of sallow was that, instead of ob- 



