208 FROM SPRING TO FALL. 



"Ah, that's just it, mister; you've hit the nail on 

 the head. There's the good and the harm on 'em. 

 They don't kill game, that I knows ; but I tell 'ee 

 what, them hills as they turns up in rough medders, 

 just outside o' covers, is the very best place fur the 

 birds to peck and scratch about in — them an' the 

 emmet-hills. There's lots o' things gets killed that 

 ain't no harm to nothing. But you has orders 

 to kill 'em, an' if you don't do it you gits the sack. 

 That's the head an' the tail o' my business, as I sees 

 it. One time the farmers killed all the sparrers. 

 They knows better now, most on 'em. As to moles, 

 there was a pretty cry out if a molehill showed in a 

 medder; an' on'y some of 'em understands what 

 them little creaturs does for the land yet. Fur when 

 there's a bit o' cold, low-lying medder-ground — 

 most o' that sort o' land is damp-like — an' the 

 moles works it, their runs is like so many pipes laid 

 down. Then they knocks them hills what the 

 moles throws up over the medder ; an' 'tis the very 

 best top-dressing a bit o' that sort o' land can have, 

 is that what the moles has brought up on top o' the 

 ground. There ain't no sheep-feed like that what 

 they gits off old molehills. An' then see here, they 



