and pouring its stinging contents down my throat, felt that I could have faced the devil.

My attention was now again entirely devoted to the object for which I came. Having planted my snares and nets, I made for the neighbouring fields for the purpose of driving the game, then feeding, into them.

My first attempts to obtain Shep's assistance proved to be of no avail, and I began to fear that I should have to depend only upon the success of the wires when the hares returned to cover at daybreak. But after repeated trials, Shep appeared to possess a notion of the duty required of him, and bounding away he scoured across a field. As if afraid, however, that he had committed an error, he quickly returned to my heels, and it was a few minutes before I could urge him again to the trial. At length away he went, and immediately afterwards one sharp bark and a rushing noise announced that he had something afoot.

I was standing within a short distance of a net tilted against a stile leading to the wood, when a hare swept by me,

and rushing headlong into the meshes, rolled over and over like a ball. Shep was close to her scut; and as she became entangled, he snapped her from the ground dead at one gripe. Flushed with the success of my first attempt, I continued beating the fields; and Shep, entering into the spirit of the work, quickly drove a brace more into the trammels.

The moon was now fast sinking; and having taken up my nets, I proceeded to examine the snares. These, however, held nothing; and, satisfied with what I had, I left the spot where, for the first time in my life, I broke the law and committed crime.

Through a long and twining lane, flanked by two high and sloping banks, I was striding with my ill-gotten booty, when Shep gave a long, deep growl. In the belief that some one might be coming, I crept under a thick holly bush, and ordered him to lie by the side of me. Nobody appearing, however, and nothing strange to be heard, I was about to leave my hiding-place, when the dog squeaked and trembled as if in great

fear, and endeavoured to squeeze himself behind my back.

"What is the matter?" said I, seizing him by the neck, and throwing him savagely from me. No sooner had I done so, than setting up a most frightful howl, he rushed away, making the hideous noise ring far and

near.

Without speculating for a moment as to the cause of this ill-timed terror, I scrambled on my feet, fearing that I might be discovered; and, changing my path, hastened on

my way.

CHAPTER VII.

"I'll not meddle with it, it is a dangerous thing; it makes a man a coward: a man cannot steal, but it accuseth him; a man cannot swear, but it checks him. 'Tis a blushing, shame-faced spirit, that mutinies in a man's bosom; it fills one full of obstacles; it beggars any man that keeps it; it is turned out of all towns and cities for a dangerous thing; and every man that means to live well, endeavours to trust to himself, and live without it."

"LIGHT come, light go," is an old saw, but one particularly applicable to my oftrepeated depredations on the game. Becoming skilful from continued practice, and lost to all conscientious scruples, I nightly returned loaded with my ill-gotten gains, which the host of the Chequers mainly profited by. From speculating on the ways and means enabling me to scatter the

money freely, my companions set a watch upon my movements, and quickly discovered the secret by which, from penury and want, I suddenly became a spendthrift. As a matter of course, all resolved to enrich themselves by following my example; and, in a short time, a gang of poachers was formed, of which I was the appointed leader. At first every caution was used in avoiding detection; but becoming more careless and daring from habit, we soon depended more upon the strength of our band in resisting any attempt that might be made to molest or capture us, than in the secrecy of our proceedings. Reports were quickly circulated in the neighbourhood and the country round, relative to our acts, and exaggerated statements made as to their extent and violence. Gamekeepers quaked with fear when there was a whispered probability of a visit from us; and although many talked of their desire to meet, and defied our coming, we always found them absent from the spots chosen for our spoliations. At length, from the hardihood and boldness with which we

H