270 AN ANGLER'S SEASON 



"I'se warrant it is the business that 

 usually brings persons o' importance to 

 my door. Poachin'. Isn't it, noo ? " 



"It is," said Bismarck, eagerly I 

 thought ; I 'daresay he felt that he would 

 be stepping farther into error if amid our 

 highly practical circumstances he broached 

 the subject of the Spectre and Ye Ken 

 Wha. " Exactly. I regret to say that I 

 suffer a good deal from the scoundrels. 

 My partridges were short, and I've 

 hardly any pheasants ; I have a suspicion 

 that the river is netted. It occurred to 

 me that you, a constant resident in the 

 district, might " 



" Quite so," said Peter, in an obliging 

 tone. " But am I richt in takin' you to say 

 that every poacher is a scoonerel ? " 



"You are," said Bismarck. 



" And you mean it ? " 



" I do. Poaching is theft, or, at the 

 best, robbery." 



"I do a bit o' poachin' mysel'," said 

 Peter. 



" Oh ? * said Bismarck, discomfited. 



