426 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



Humphries was my brother-in-law, he having 

 married my sister. I always knew that he 

 was a slippery card and wanted looking after 

 well, but when I took him on at Stansted I 

 did not know of his disgraceful conduct at Mr. 

 England's. If I had known he certainly would 

 not have got the post of underkeeper at Stan- 

 sted. As it was, he soon commenced his artful 

 tricks, setting every one by the ears. He 

 never seemed so happy as when he was doing 

 some questionable action that would most 

 probably embroil you with your master or 

 someone else, and never lost an opportunity 

 of this kind, being utterly callous as to the 

 consequences that might accrue to you. He 

 was utterly unmindful of any favours conferred 

 upon him, he would give you a quantity of 

 lip gratitude at the time and there his gratitude 

 ended ; in fact, a more unprincipled black- 

 guard could not easily be found. This character 

 was now my underkeeper, and I soon found 

 out that I must have my wits about me to 

 keep up sides with him. 



He boasted to my mother that he was going 



