34 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



going to encounter were such a rough lot, 

 he should call up the Henham police, officer to 

 accompany us. Henham was about two miles 

 away, and when we got there the policeman 

 said that he had just laid down, having had 

 no sleep for a long time ; and he made a lot 

 of other excuses, saying that it was out of his 

 beat, and so on. I lost my patience and cried 

 out : " Come on, Scott, and let the man stop 

 at home, he will be no use to us if he does 

 come, I can see plainly enough ; for my part 

 I would rather go without such a man.' 7 



So off Scott and I went. 



We had gone two miles out of our way to 

 get this policeman, which made us rather 

 late, so we only arrived at Monk's house in 

 the nick of time. The door was open, and 

 there was a light on the table, whilst Jack was 

 cutting his day's food and putting it into a 

 bag. As we entered one poor little lad came 

 down stairs, and said : " Give us a bit of 

 bread, daddy." Monk gave him a piece. 



" What's the matter with the little chap ?" 

 I asked of Monk. 



