and the bailies, and the farmers; and they don't take half the notice of
I as they used to. The keeper he don't dare, nor the policeman as I
telled you, and the rest be got used to me and my ways. And I does very
well one week with t'other. One week I don't take nothing, and the next
I haves a good haul, chiefly hares and rabbits; 'cause of course I never
goes into the wood, nor the plantations. It wants eight or ten with
crape masks on for that job.

'I sets up about four wires, sometimes only two; if you haves so many it
is a job to look after 'em. I stops the hare's other runs, so that she
is sure to come along mine where I've got the turnpike up: the trick is
to rub your hand along the runs as you want to stop, or spit on 'em, or
summat like that; for a hare won't pass nothing of that sort. So pussy
goes back and comes by the run as I've chose: if she comes quick she
don't holler; if she comes slow she squeals a bit sometimes before the
wire hangs her. Very often I bean't fur off and stops the squealing.
That's why I can't use a gin--it makes 'em holler so. I ferrets a
goodish few rabbits on bright nights in winter.

'As for the pheasants, I gets them mostly about acorn-time; they comes
out of the plantations then. I keeps clear of the plantations, because,
besides the men a-watching, they have got dogs chained up, and
alarm-guns as goes off if you steps on the spring; and some have got a
string stretched along as you be pretty sure to kick against, and then,
bang! and all the dogs sets up a yowling. Of course it's only powder,
but it brings the keepers along. But when the acorns and the berries be
ripe, the pheasants comes out along the hedges after 'em, and gets up at
the haws and such like. They wanders for miles, and as they don't care
to go all the way back to roost they bides in the little copses as I
told you of. They come to the same copses every year, which is curious,
as most of them as will come this year will be shot before next.

'If I can't get 'em the fust night, I just throws a handful or two of
peas about the place, and they'll be sure to stay, and likely enough
bring two or three more. I mostly shoots 'em with just a little puff of
powder as you wouldn't hear across one field, especially if it's a windy
night. I had a air-gun, as was took from me, but he weren't much go: I
likes a gun as throws the shot wide, but I never shoots any but
roosters, unless I catch 'em standing still.

'All as I can