126 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



men, however, had all been cheated by the 

 coiners. 



After partaking of refreshment we all set out 

 for Chesham. Som e of the shopkeepers wanted 

 Smith to take the darbies off the * Flying 

 Dutchman,' give him twenty yards start, and 

 let him race me. Smith declined, sententiouslv 

 observing that they'd already had enough 

 trouble to catch them, and, being a constable, 

 there was nothing in his indentures that war- 

 ranted him in releasing a prisoner, before 

 handing him over to the proper authorities. So 

 w^e marched into Chesham with two out of the 

 three coiners. The town was all up in arms ; 

 it was like a fair. Nearly every shopman came 

 out to his door to greet us, and some offered us 

 drink, and some gave us money ; every one was 

 wild with excitement over our capture. 



After seeing the coiners safely in the lock-up, 

 we all agreed to go up to old Dick's place, and 

 spend the day playing skittles. As we were 

 passing by the Queen's Head, the last public 

 house in Chesham, out ran Harry Wright, and 

 says he : — " Come in and have a glass. Jack ; 



