OF ALEXANDER. 137 



for, on arriving there early next morning, I 

 found the snares all reset. 



Pounds did not turn up, nor did anyone else, 

 but I watched them all day until dusk, when, 

 it being Sunday, I knocked off, intending to 

 return before daybreak next morning. 



When I arrived next morning it was, of course, 

 dark, but I just managed to make out some- 

 thing in one of the snares, which afterwards 

 turned out to be a leveret, still alive, about the 

 size of a full grown rabbit. I had been watch- 

 ing only a little while, and day was beginning 

 to break, when I saw a man creep through the 

 hedge and proceed to examine the snares. 

 When he discovered the leveret he glanced 

 cautiously all around, then removed it from the 

 wire still alive, and put it in his pocket. The 

 animal gave a kick, and jumped out of one 

 side of his smock frock, but, being half dead, 

 it travelled slowly, so he fell on his hands and 

 knees and crawled after it. Before he could 

 reach it, I sprang forward, and caught him by 

 the collar, the leveret escaping. 



We had a sharp tussle for some time ; he 



