SMALL FREEHOLDERS 267 



see in his little garden, however unfairly 

 (mark this) he may have attracted them 

 there ; and even if each bird has a wire 

 rine on its leo^ to show that it was bred and 

 brought up at great expense by Squire C. 

 and his keepers, for the pheasant is fei^cs 

 naturcE. Well, this is his right, and we 

 must respect it. But who does not know 

 the oft-repeated story ? A market is found 

 at the village pothouse for an illegally 

 wired bird, illegally, because A. B., of 

 course, never takes out a game certifi- 

 cate. 



'' Cawn't ye get us a few more ? " says 

 the game receiver. "'Ere, I got summat 

 in the cawrt." And he hands over to 

 A. B. a quart or two of damaged raisins. 

 "Chuck a 'andful over the fence," he is 

 told, "for a day or two, till the birds begin 



