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 



