DUCKEY's father. HIS DEATH. 265 



away," said Tom ; so we went off together, 

 and found Phillips sitting on Ladymead's 

 stile, lacing up his boots. 



I asked him for the snares, and he said 

 that he had not seen any. I searched him 

 thoroughly, but could not find anything ; I 

 made him pull off the boot that was still un- 

 laced, for I thought that perhaps he had heard 

 us running after him, and had pushed the 

 snares down into his unlaced boot. They 

 were not there, however. 



" Are you sure he took them, Tom ? " I 

 asked. 



"Yes," said he. " I saw him take hold of 

 the snares, and when I went to look, they were 

 all gone." So I had another good search of 

 Phillips, taking off his hat, and hunting in his 

 breast, his breeches, and everywhere, but no 

 snares could I find, and therefore let him go. 



I told Tom he must have made a mistake, 

 and, together, we went to the place where the 

 snares had been set. On arriving there I 

 found that they had not been taken up at all, 

 Phillips having merely slipped them down by 



