POACHING AGAIN. 365 



fined a small sum, which he paid. After the 

 case was over the poacher and I had dinner 

 together, and subsequently walked home 

 together, from Saffron Walden to Stanstead, 

 a distance of ten miles. My master had been 

 on the bench, and he and two or three other 

 magistrates rode past us on the road, and saw 

 us smoking our pipes of peace as we trudged 

 along. The next day my master comes to me. 



'"Well, Wilkins," said he. " So you got 

 your man convicted yesterday." 



"Yes, sir." 



" But I saw you and him walking home 

 together and smoking your pipes, as I passed 

 by." 



" Yes, sir." 



" You are a wonder to the Walden Bench." 



"Why so, sir?" 



" You never get contradicted by your men, 

 Mr. Birch-Wolfe and Mr. Smith told me that. 

 All the Bench have noticed that your men 

 generally plead guilty, and if they do not, and 

 they are asked if they have any questions to 

 put to you, they say : c No, what he said is 



