an aggravated nuisance.

Marriner, as his father had done, openly carried a gun, for which he
paid his license, and it was impossible, with reason, to blame him, for
the rabbits alone would have eaten up every particle of his little stock
if he took no measures against them. If he shot an occasional pheasant,
or his dog caught a hare, or even two, in the course of the season on
his own land, why, no one could wonder. But it was not necessary to sow
buckwheat in order to attract the pheasants. And he had no right
whatever to set snares in Lord Woodruff's covers, which, though they
could not catch him, the gamekeepers were certain he did. One thing
decidedly against him in the opinion of the gentry round about, was that
he frequently visited Slam's, and Slam was regarded as a receiver of
stolen goods, certainly so far as game was concerned, perhaps in other
matters also. Edwin Marriner was a wiry-looking little man, with red
hair and whiskers, quick bright eyes, and a look of cunning about his
mouth. He had two propensities which interfered with one another: he
was very fond of strong drink and very fond of money. The drink was
delightful, but to spend the money necessary to procure it was a fearful
pang. The best way out of the dilemma was to get someone to treat him,
and this he did as often as he could. He had plenty of cunning and
mother wit, and was skilled in woodcraft, but he was utterly innocent of
anything which could fairly be called education. He had been taught to
read, but never exercised the gift; he could do an addition sum, and
write, with much labour, an ill-spelled letter, and that was all. And
this was the individual selected by Saurin for a companion, and, whose
society he preferred to that of all his schoolfellows, Edwards not
excepted. On half-holidays he would go to his little farm (which was
half-an-hour's walk too far for ordinary occasions, now the days had
grown short, and "All In," was directly after five-o'clock school), and
talk to him while he was at work, for Marriner was industrious, though
with a dishonest twist, and if he went to Slam's yard so often now it
was because his gentleman friend brought some grist to his mill, besides
often standing beer for him, and because he had business relations with
Slam; though he liked the boy's company too, and admired his precocious
preference for crooked ways, and hatred of lawful restraint. The fact
was that they were drawn together by