BIRDS' NESTS. 223 



of the magistrates stopped him, by saying that 

 he knew him to be an honest man, who would 

 neither tell a falsehood, nor harbour malice 

 against his neighbour. 



Ci Is there any one here who can say any- 

 thing in favour of the prisoner's character ? " 

 asked the chairman. " Prisoner, have you any 

 witnesses ? " 



Johnson looked vacantly round the room, 

 and said, in his usual impudent tone, " Yes, 

 plenty ; but you have taken good care to have 

 none of them here/' 



The magistrates began to whisper together, 

 when Mr. Miller stood up and said, he believed 

 he could throw some light on the matter ; 

 " but," added he, " I must be allowed to 

 step into the witness-box/' He accordingly 

 went down to the body of the court, and the 

 oath having been administered to him in the 

 usual form, he narrated all the particulars of 

 his finding the pheasant's nest, as given in the 

 last chapter. When he had finished, he drew 



