ton! A soft, easy name that for a hard, cruel
fellow. Why not live and let live? What is it to you, if a poor fellow
dines now and then off the leg of a hare, or the wing of a pheasant? It
don't take one penny out of your pocket. What right have these rich men
to lay an embargo upon the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the
air? Ay, upon the very fish that swims in the stream, which God gave for
the use of all. Tyrants!--they have not enough of the good things of
this world, but they must rob the poor of their natural rights. I only
wish I had them under the range of that, which a poor man dare not carry
without a licence, in a free land. But there will come a day,"--and he
ground his teeth,--"pray God that it may come soon, when these cursed
game laws, and their proud makers, shall be crushed under our feet."

"That will not be in your day--nor yet in mine, Adam Hows. No, not if we
both lived to the age of your venerable namesake of apple-eating
celebrity. Like him--you seem to have a hankering for forbidden fruit;
and taste it too, I apprehend, if I may judge by that lurcher at your
heels. You are wrong to keep that dog. It has a suspicious look."

"I am not acquainted with his private tastes," said Adam, patting the
snaky-headed brute. "Like his betters, he may relish a hare now and
then; but I never saw him eat one. Fox, my boy! Are you fond of
game?--the keeper thinks you are. Fie, fox, fie. It is as bad to look
like a thief, as to be one."

"You had better put that dog away, Adam. If the Squire sees him, he will
order him to be shot."

"D---- the Squire! Who cares for the Squire. He poaches on other
preserves besides his own. Hey, Mister Cotton?"

The colour flushed my face--I scarce knew why. "I don't understand your
joke."

"Oh, no, of course not. You are such an innocent fellow. But there are
others who do. Are you going to the cricket-match to-morrow? The fellows
of S---- have challenged our fellows to a grand set-to on their common:
'tis famous ground. The men of S---- play well--but our bullies can beat
them. I am told that you are the flash man of the F---- club?"

"I love the sport--it is a fine manly, old English game; I should like
to go very well, and they expect me; but I have an engagement
elsewhere."

"You'll have to put it off."

"Impossible."

"But the honour of the club."

"Must yield to duty. I promised to meet Mr. Carlos at the second avenue
gate to-morrow night, at eleven o'cl