26'2 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



never to touch a rabbit. I hope you won't 

 send me to prison, gentlemen, for if you do I 

 shall lose my place at Mr. Brown's." 



The magistrates here asked him if Mr. 

 Brown would keep him on in his employment 

 if he were not sent to gaol. " Oh yes, gentle- 

 men," said Duckey. " He has promised that, 

 for he knows I'm not a poacher." 



" Wilkins, said Captain Byng. " Do you 

 know anything against this man ; have you 

 ever caught him before ? " No, sir," I replied. 

 " I know nothing about him except this case." 

 And then I overheard the Bench talking it over. 



" He seems a very respectable young man, 

 he is dressed neatly and cleanly, and his em- 

 ployer is willing to keep him on. He can't be 

 a very bad sort of man, for Wilkins knows 

 nothing against him before this case." 



So after a short consultation, the chairman 

 addressed the prisoner. " Now, Phillips," 

 said he, " We've taken into account the fact 

 that you are in work, and what you say about 

 not setting the snare ; also everything else you 

 have said, and we hope it is all true. So we 



