422 AN ENGLISH GAMEKKEPER. 



from breakfast, he saw Jack carrying a scuttle 

 of coals into the scullery for the cook. There- 

 upon he immediately accused Jack of idling 

 away his time, and robbing his master of a full 

 day's work, Jack having nothing to do with the 

 coals. Humphries worked himself up into a 

 fury, and began to shout loudly, when he found 

 Jack treated him with contemptuous indiffer- 

 ence. Then the cook comes up and joins in 

 the fray, rounding sharply on Humphries. 

 Soon the noise reaches the dining room, and 

 out comes master, mistress, and the young 

 ladies, to see what it was all about. Then 

 Humphries poses as the honest steward, 

 lodging grievous complaint against Jack for 

 robbing his master, This drew forth a bitter 

 retort from Jack, who said : " If I was half as 

 big a rogue as you, I'd take a rope and hang 

 myself. 1 ' 



"What do you mean?" demanded Hum- 

 phries, and then Mrs. England reproved Jack, 

 saying : " You ought not to speak of Hum- 

 phries like that." 



" I don't rob you like he does, I can tell 



