My First Gux. 13 



treasures innumerable — old guns and parts of 

 guns in all stages of rust and decay^ barrels, 

 stocks, locks, and ram-rods, which I was never 

 tired of inspecting. I don't think anybody ever 

 sent a gun of any value to " Willum " to be 

 repaired. They consisted chiefly of poachers' 

 guns, bird-keeping guns, and the like; and I 

 should fancy the outside value of the best I 

 ever saw there was about fifteen shillings. 



There was another member of this interest- 

 ing family, who always sat huddled up in the 

 chimney-corner, and was called '^father"; but 

 whose father he was I did not know. He 

 appeared to be very old, and when not en- 

 gaged in coughing and wheezing, was always 

 smoking. 



Soon after I had made the acquaintance 

 of this family, on going in one day I missed 

 him from his usual corner; and on making 

 inquiry, I was met by the announcement of 

 " father's gone " ; but whether he had taken 

 into his head to go to bed or to go out for 

 a walk I was not informed. I afterwards dis- 

 covered that he was dead, and asked if any 

 doctor attended him. " Willum " said no ; he 

 was only taken poorly the day before, and as 



