United States or Northern Mariana Islands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
At last they were close to the bushes, and we heard the common-keeper say, "They never went over the hill, that's for certain, the little wagrants; they can't be far off they must be down in the hollow. Come along." "But I'm blessed if I'm not up to my knees in the bog," cried one of the men; "I'll go no further down, dang me!"
"No, Jacob, no; you mustn't shoot men," replied Tom, who perceived that I was in a humour to keep my word with the common-keeper. "Indeed, you can't," continued he, whispering to me; "the gun's not loaded." "Do you mean to refuse to give me up your gun?" repeated the man. "Yes I do," replied I, cocking the lock; "so keep off."
"All's right, Jacob," said Tom, looking up at the brilliant sky, and then taking up the hare, "we'll be on the road in five minutes." I shouldered the gun, and off we set. "By the Lord, that rascally common-keeper was right," continued Tom, as we renewed our steps; "he prophesied we should come to the gallows before long, and so we have. Well, this has been a pretty turn out.
"We must go on till we fall in with something, at all events," replied Tom. "And I expect that will be a gravel-pit," replied I; "but never mind, `better luck next time. I only wish I had that rascal of a common-keeper here. Suppose we turn back again, and keep the wind on the starboard side of us as before; we must pitch upon something at last."
We laid the animal out between us, and were admiring it from the ear to the tip of his tail, when we were suddenly saluted with a voice close to us. "Oh, you blam'd young poachers, so I've caught you, have I?" We looked up, and beheld the common-keeper. "Come come along with me; we've a nice clink at Wandsworth to lock you up in. I've been looking a'rter you some time. Hand your gun here."
"Don't you know that all the game, and all the turf, and all the bog, and all the gravel, and all the furze on this common belong to the Right Honourable Earl Spencer?" "And all the blackbirds, and all the greenfinches, and all the sparrows, and all the tomtits too, I suppose?" replied I. "To be sure they do and I'm common-keeper. Now you'll give me up that hare immediately."
The common-keeper took to his heels, and as soon as he was out of gun-shot, turned round, shook his fist, and then hastened away to obtain the reinforcement he desired. "I wish the gun had been loaded," said I. "Why, Jacob, what's come over you? Would you have fired at him? The man is only doing his duty we have no business here."
Word Of The Day