138 EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 



soon came to a barrier of brushwood under- 

 growth, composed of ferns above my head inter- 

 laced with the long straggling arms of blackberry 

 briars, pitfalls hidden by leaves, and all sorts of 

 impenetrable impediments. I had literally to 

 force my way, like Bottom the weaver 



"Through bog, through bush, through brake, through 

 briar." 



I was doomed to struggle on for two weary 

 hours, at length finding myself close to the turn- 

 pike road, where the footpath, if I had stuck to 

 it, would have safely delivered me in a few 

 minutes. Even now I could not get into the 

 road, for although there are many gaps in the 

 hedgerow they were all fenced with barbed wire. 

 At last I found a hole through which I could 

 crawl on hands and knees. I did get partly 

 through, but to my -sorrow I found that what I 

 took to be innocent young oak branches were 

 simply a natural covering for barbed wire, which 

 held me tight by coat and trousers. Thus I 

 found myself suspended on a high bank, six 

 feet above the road, and struggling to get free. 

 I trembled lest any one should see the plight I 

 was in. A tall parson and his son, on bikes, 

 saw me, I am sure, but, like proud Pharisees 



