I was down at Hareby to spend Christmas, as had been my custom for years, and on going out the day after my arrival-- "You see, sir," said Browsem, the keeper; "there's no knowing where to take him. I've tried all I knows, and 'pon my sivvy, sir, I don't know where to hev him. It warn't him as give me that dressing down, but it were some of his set, for he keeps in the back grun', and finds the powder and shot, and gets rid o' the birds. War-hawk to him if I do get hold on him, though--" "But do you watch well?" I said. "Watch, sir? I've watched my hyes outer my head a'most, and then he's dodged me. Hyes aint no good to him. Why, I don't believe a chap fitted up with telescopes would get round him. The guv'nor swears and goes on at me and Bill, but what's the good o' that when you're arter a fellow as would slip outer his skin, if you hed holt on him? Now, I'll jest tell you how he served me last week. I gets a simple-looking chap, a stranger to these parts, but a regular deep one, to come over and keep his hye on this here Mr Ruddle. So he hangs about the public, and drinks with first one, and then with another, so that they thinks him a chap outer work, and lars of all he gets friendly with Ruddle, and from one thing to another, gets on talking about fezzans and 'ares. "`Ah,' says my chap, `there's some fine spinneys down our way. Go out of a night there, and get a sackful of birds when you likes.' "`Nothin' to what there is here,' says another. "`Why,' says my chap, `we've one chap as is the best hand at a bit o' night work as ever I did see. You should see him set a sneer or ingle, he'd captivate any mortial thing. Say he wants a few rabbuds, he'd a'most whistle 'em outer their holes. Fezzans 'll run their heads into his ingles like winkin'. While, as fur 'ares, he never sets wires for them.' "`Why not,' says one on 'em. "`Oh,' says my chap, `he goes and picks 'em up outer the fields, just as he likes.' "`Ha, ha, ha!' laughs lots on 'em there; all but Ruddle, and he didn't. "`What d'yer think o' that, ole man,' says one. "`Nothin' at all,' says Ruddle. `Do it mysen,' for you see he was a bit on, and ready to talk, while mostlings he was as close as a hegg. "`Bet you a gallon on it,' says my chap. "`Done,' says Ruddle, and they settles as my chap and Buddie should have a walk nex' day, Sunday, and settle it.