} FEESH FIELDS 



tonished at the strong, piercing quality of the 

 rain. It echoed in the woods and copses about, 

 it, though oft repeated, brought forth no response. 

 Aith this man I made an engagement to take a 

 alk that evening at eight o'clock along a certain 

 lute where he had heard plenty of nightingales but 

 few days before. He was confident he could call 

 lem out; so was I. 



In the afternoon, which had gleams of warm 

 mshine, I made another excursion, less in hopes 

 : hearing my bird than of finding some, one who 

 luld direct me to the right spot. Once I thought 

 le game was very near. I met a boy who told me 

 3 had heard a nightingale only fifteen minutes 

 jfore, "on Polecat Hill, sir, just this side the 

 evil's Punch-bowl, sir!" I had heard of his 

 ajesty's punch-bowl before, and of the gibbets 

 jar it where three murderers were executed nearly 

 hundred years ago, but Polecat Hill was a new 

 ime to me. The combination did not seem a 

 kely place for nightingales, but I walked rapidly 

 litherward; I heard several warblers, but not 

 hilomel, and was forced to conclude that probably 

 had crossed the sea to miss my bird by just fifteen 

 inutes. I met many other boys (is there any 

 )untry where boys do not prowl about in small 

 mds of a Sunday?) and advertised the object of 

 y search freely among them, offering a reward 

 lat made their eyes glisten for the bird in song; 

 at nothing ever came of it. In my desperation, 

 even presented a letter I had brought to the vil- 



