156 BIRDS' NESTS. 



him, which he was every week making longer. 

 Already it nearly equalled the sum which it 

 was likely that he would receive at harvest, 

 and it was pretty certain that either the land- 

 lord of the cottage or the landlord of the 

 White Horse, would be a loser. It was not 

 possible to excuse Mrs. Johnson on the plea 

 that she did not know this ; for being as fond 

 of drink as her husband, she was in the habit 

 of going to fetch him home in the evenings, 

 but rarely returned till she had herself taken 

 enough to add considerably to the score, which 

 was running up in his name. 



Mr. Miller knew nothing of this, though, 

 as he could only suspect that he was being 

 imposed on, he could say no more on the sub- 

 ject, but having added, " Well, I am pleased 

 to hear so good a report of him ; " went on to 

 say, " If I were he, I should employ a spare 

 hour or two in draining off the water from that 

 puddle before the door. You would then have 

 a dry floor to your cottage, which I should 



