206 WAYFARING NOTIONS 



or a trip to these parts a never-ending pleasure 

 till the visit, more or less lengthy, is over. Toddle 

 off to Wicken Fen, that remnant of the old Fen 

 country — almost the only sample left in this now 

 well-drained county. Take a turn at Mr Willie 

 Gardner's grand golf links at Worlington, and 

 while there travel on to Mildenhall and Barton 

 Mills to inspect the fishery. Do not forget to 

 see how Kennet and Kentford ; Soham, Fordham, 

 and Snailwell ; Exning and Burwell, Cheveley 

 and Saxon Street, Bottisham, Swaffham, Dulling- 

 ham, and Wood Ditton (a nice round that), are 

 doing themselves. Be up and about early and 

 finish off late. Give yourself plenty of spare 

 time and rest, and, in effect, be busy all the 

 while." 



I carried out my master's instructions to some 

 degree. I did go to Newmarket, and I ranged 

 about the country. I foregathered with Mr 

 George Verrall, and was at once delighted and 

 instructed by his conversation, in far too scientific 

 terms for a very humble smatterer like myself. 

 Dogs of my acquaintance, cats who know me, 

 tame jackdaws who are aware that I am good for 

 sugar, and captive jays accustomed to my atten- 

 tions ; landlords and landladies pleased to see me 

 again, pigs which grunt welcome and are glad for 

 me to steal and administer forthwith the allotted 

 fodder — so far as you can call by the name of 

 stealing the act of anticipating their feeding-time 

 by annexing for that purpose the provender laid 

 out for them — were looked up. The little kiddies 

 at roadside cottages who are so happy if they get 

 a stray copper to put in their money-boxes ; the 

 good lady who years ago was so vexed with me 

 because I declared myself out of work, being by 



