THE HEDGEHOG A GAME EATER. 



good-sized bantam hen, and in due time four- 

 teen young ones were hatched. They were 

 placed in a coop close to the house, and by a 

 bank, in which some rabbits had burrowed. 

 This coop, about six o'clock, always had the 

 whole of the front part entirely closed up, to 

 prevent cats or vermin getting at them. Be- 

 tween two or three o'clock in the morning it 

 was opened by my keeper, the birds fed and 

 counted. One morning I was looking at them 

 about nine o'clock, and could only make out 

 thirteen. I sent for the keeper. " How is this, 

 Kaille ?" I asked, as he came up. " One of the 

 birds dead ? There are only thirteen." 



" Only thirteen, measter. I counted um at 

 eaight this morning, and there were fourteen on 

 um then. What the dickens is up now ?" 



On looking about he discovered some feathers. 



* e Darn it," he exclaimed, " some of them tar- 

 nation cats are been about thick there birds. 

 One on um be gone, shureli,'"' aifd so it was. 



Now this man was a keeper. He was up to 

 every dodge a keeper could be, and in every 

 respect a clever, honest, and trustworthy ser- 

 vant. 



