RELATIONS WITH FARMERS, ETC. 29 



is respected men who will neither misunderstand him 

 nor inveigle him into slackness of duty or active mis- 

 chief. The man who to-day seems a friend, and is 

 laughing with us, may turn out to-morrow to be a 

 poacher who is laughing at us. There is no law in the 

 country, outside the laws of physiology and the law 

 of any religion he may profess, that prevents a man 

 from taking a fairly good " skinful of liquor," but the 

 general rule must be emphasised that no drunkard, 

 or even habitual "nipper," can retain respect, and 

 without that priceless jewel in the chaplet of authority, 

 a keeper had better change his profession and take 

 to breaking stones. 



