222 BIRDS' NESTS. 



" And what did he say to that ? " 

 " He began to talk very impudently, and 

 said I might go if I liked ; but that I had no 

 business to steal his bird, for no one could 

 prove that he had come by it dishonestly. 

 But I kept it safe, until I was told to give it 

 up to the policeman." 



" Prisoner," said the presiding magistrate, 

 "do you wish to ask this witness any questions? 

 Remember, what you say will be written down, 

 and used against you." 



" I never killed the pheasant/ 5 muttered 

 Johnson, in a sulky tone ; " I saw a man 

 shoot it on Wednesday morning in Cobb- 

 wood, and he gave it to me for not informing 

 against him." 



" Have you anything more to say ? " 

 " No; except that Mr. Morris has been telling 

 a pack of lies against me, because I broke a pane 

 of glass in his shop last winter. Many's the 

 pheasant he has poached himself." 



The witness was about to reply, when one 



