of his foresires, and preferred the skin of a stout oak to guard his shins, rather than the tough hide of a bull. They were cosily lined with thick flannel, but still lacked padding to fit them to his waning withershins. Look tha there, Ikey,' said he, as we pledged the preparatory health,- Look at them trovies. I won thic pair o' leatherns at Southmolton nineteen year agone come Yeaster; thac uns at King'snympton, the month avore Ally were bwoarn'd; and thuc othern at Yemmacott, the day I were morried. Win me, and wear me,' thou zeez't zamplered upo' th' band o' um, wi' green and red zilk; but there they ha' hung, and there they shall hang untouched, zo long as ever Geakup Shapcot do zuck wind. Now come on oot. I drowth un lads by the vore hip vor a virkin o' yeal. Come on Ikey. If I dwoant scat tha, christen me twoad.' Lord love you! I could have carried him, poor withered rogue, to my hut by Exmoor, easily as crow does dry elm-twig to her nest. But I dallied with him-pretending to put out all my craft and strength; and at last, when the old man sweated and blowed nigh to bursting his wrinkled hide, let myself sink gently down beneath him as a matter of policy. And then to hear the breathless old body trying in vain to squeak Victoria! oh! 'twas fine! The boys chuckled; the dame chirruped; and down came the girls with kisses and condolements. When the first burst of his joy was over, he sat cool, solemn, and dignified; affecting to treat his conquest as a mere matter of course. I was certainly, he said, one of the best players he had ever mated with; but few could evade his backclamp: it was no disgrace to be levelled by Jacob Shapcot. The sons laughed again; and he mistaking the cause of their mirth (for I feigned to be chapfallen, though Mike and his brothers knew how the affair was managed), reproved three, and whacked the fourth for scoffing at a beaten man. "Supper, drink, and nutty mirth succeeded; but Alice was icy, and the Justice's bags sat heavy on the mind of the dame. Little Admonition, my trusty ally, after long noting her sister's deportment, at last stole out, winking to me as she went, and returned in about half an hour, with a few ashes in the corner of her bib, which she slily managed to empty unseen into my palm. It's the web o' th' ould gander's voot,' whispered she; she died a Monday. I've a burned it for tha -Dooey just gie't to th' cretur in her drink, and I'll warrant she'll love'e. It's a sure charm, and ha' been tried scaures o' times. If f you do but offer zider to her, wi' th' ashes in 't, she's witched by 't, and will she, nill she, the twoad can't but drink-once down-and job's auver -she's thine for zertain.' I pretended to laugh at her for a little fool; but warm was the kiss which I pressed on the sun-burnt curls that shaded her brow, and I seized the first opportunity to sprinkle a half-filled jug with a few of the ashes. I had not the least hope that the proud hussy would take drink from my hand, and advanced trembling with liquor and anxiety to Ally's seat. Judge of my wonder, when she not only eagerly clasped the jug, but, instead of sipping like bird at flowery dew-cup, according to her usual custom, she smilingly quaffed off the whole contents. There's virtue in an old gander's foot, thought I, and who knows the luck of the looby calf? Justice, your worshipful hopes totter. The ashes left a grey bow above Ally's upper lip, and ere her smooth round arm reached it, the brothers' eyes were one and all fixed on her. She stared at her arm, after she had "The doze of age after a tipsy frolic is shorter than the sleep of youth -the married man who has been merry and wild overnight, leaves his bed the next morning long before the bachelor-Jacob Shapcot, with cracked voice, rheumy eyes, and sage long visage, was the first of the family that appeared in the kitchen at day-break. He cast a rueful and repentant look at the reliques of the night's revelry, and hurried up his people, so that the hunt might be finished early enough for them to set about their usual avocations, within an hour, at the latest, after the customary time. He was just as sparing of his morning cups, as he had been lavish of his liquor overnight. After a single draught each, the young men speedily equipped themselves in baragan jackets, laced boots, stout hose, and straw hats, for the sport. Ally, with her nightcap awry, peeped out of her woodbine-shaded lattice; but seeing me in the yard below, blushed, tittered, and drew back again in a moment. At length, armed with pikes, dung-forks, hoes, and poles, with farmer Grane's Towler, Toby Abbott's Brandy, a couple of hounds that were billeted on Bob, his own private professional tykes, and and yellers of all shapes and breeds, we started to some dozen yappers the number of a score and half towards the neighbouring stream. "We turned off at the boundary bridge of the good Squire's park, through which the water flowed. The old hunters that sauntered about beneath the oaks in the lawn, pricked up their ears at Towler's first joyful note, when freed from the coupling leathers, and galloped down at full speed towards the palings, over which they stretched their necks, and watched our proceedings, apparently with the most intense longing and interest. A meek doe had stolen charily down to the bank within the park, from whence she was scared in the midst of her draught, by the sudden plash of a leaping fish; and ere she had tripped thrice her length up the hill-side coppice, Towler's voice struck her motionless with fear. The hares forgot their gambols, and scampered away to cover, from which a few of them immediately stole out again, The some few bounds, and sitting erect on their strong haunches, with extended ears and searching eyes, peered anxiously around. rooks in the wood behind the old mansion-house began to caw most querulously, and flapped about the tops of the elms for many minutes 2 L 2 after, while the watch-dogs far and near responded in hoarse gruff tones to Towler's musical bay. "The banks were rugged and beetling; some of our dogs pried warily beneath them with nose and eye, while others beat landward round, and we, with pole and pike, searched about the roots of every old tree that bathed in the water, disturbing the lurking Jack from his lair, and driving the mottled trout like arrows up the stream. In less than half an hour old Brandy, the mother of the subscription pack, spoke in a gleeful and decided tone! Every eye and ear was turned towards such prime authority; those who were on the opposite bank dashed into the stream, and in a few moments men and dogs were all assembled round the pack-mother. Meantime she was driving her clear, melodious voice into a hole about the size of a barley-straw, some four feet or so from the water's edge. There was evidently an otter's haunt beneath, and we sturdily set about thwacking and thumping the ground with our poles. The true dogs parted off again: some betook themselves to the stream, paddling cautiously about within a yard or two of the bank; others posted themselves along the margin, all joyfully giving tongue and anxiously waiting for the burst. Out he came at last, and a chain of strong bubbles showed his course and velocity of dash, down the stream. There was a moment! There was a time of shouting, hurrying, cheering, and heart-beating! Away went the dogs after the game, swimming with all their might on the track of his ventings, or following in full cry along the banks. Some of us cheered on the pack, while a few of the most active cut across to the shallows, and plunging hip deep in them, with ready poles and erected spears, waited the diver's approach. Onward he bore in gallant style, maiming the dogs who headed him, snapping at spear and pole, and evading every jawclutch and thrust by dip or parry. Finding us drawn up in such formidable array on his course, he rose for a moment, opened his strong jaws, gasped convulsively, grinned at the nearest hound, and diving again dragged him by the leg under the water. The victim was brave Towler, a rough and a rigid-toothed dog, but what chance has tyke with otter in the bed of a river? I hooked him up with my pastoral, when almost at his last gasp. He was hurt in twenty places, bleeding from heel to wither, water-blind, deaf, and lame; but his nose was still alive, and on the otter's getting away again, spite of his disaster Brave Towler led the cry.' Our game soon after took refuge under a shelving bank. There he kept the bravest at bay. He sallied forth occasionally, marked mementoes of the day on the legs of six of us, drowned two of our hounds, disabled five, and sent several with their tails curled under their bellies disconsolate, sorry, and yelping, towards home. Thrice did he 'scape us after we mooted him from the bank, and as often did our high- ́ nosed dogs reveal him again. At last, with Towler somewhat recovered, and hot with revenge, hanging on his gorge, while his own sharp teeth were making ribbons of Brandy's lug, I speared him. He was mine by the laws of brook and fen. I carried him to Shapcot's, and after laying the spoil at Ally's feet, in the presence of the frowning Justice, I dried my robes, adjusted my mitre, mounted palfrey Ned, slung Tommy across his withers, and trotted merrily away. Within a week I cut the bark off Hosea Butt's nose, after he had opened the pates of Mike and Bob at a single-stick match, and from that time who but Blaise the waddler was king paramount at Shapcot's, with all but the dame and Ally. I solaced them during the first three days of March-the deaf days, when they fear to sow corn (seed never growing that is buried at such time) and none lifted up so loud a voice as Ikey Wall at their harvest-home, when the old man, with sons, servants and assistant-neighbours about him, according to ancient custom, raised the garlanded oak-bough from earth towards heaven, in token of thanksgiving for his plentiful crops. Dozens whooped as the green branch was elevated, but my whoop was heard above all. The lass grew more kind, but she warmed to me slowly. The Justice I made a fool of, in the presence of Ally, regularly once a month; and whenever he sneaked down to the farmer's, I, to the horrible discontent, fretting, and fuming of the dame, was found perched upon the seat of honour allotted to his worship, from which, refusing to wag an inch, with gibe and song, I flouted him most respectfully. He never could find occasion to quarrel with me openly, so well did I manage my taunts and girds. But the bee stings sorely through his rose-leaf-the Justice felt my thrusts, though prettily veiled, and hated me most bitterly. One night, when the dame expected his worship, she persuaded Ally to hang the rind of a turnip, which she had contrived to pare off without fracture, on the latch of the door. Whoever first enters is fated to be the bridegroom of the lass who fastens up this charm; and the old woman was desirous of doing away with the idea in Ally's mind, that, having quaffed the gander's-foot-ash cider, she was doomed to be linked to Blaise-by his worship being notified, under the influence of a cantrip of equal power, as the future lord of her hand. I was at the next farm moulding spoons of the bits of metal which the women had hoarded, when my little ally warned me of my peril. You may wonder why Admonition was so true to my interest. Gratitude made her my friend. She had the hooping-cough three years before, and I, in pity to the child, plucked a few hairs from the brown streak that adorns my donkey's shoulder, sewed them up in a rag of my gown, and hung the charm with my own hands about her pretty neck. She was well in a week. But to proceed, his worship had already ambled down the hill from the village church when Addy came to me, but by a cross-path and good speed I reached the door before him. Oh! Saint Botolph! how she stared, the old dame did-and how she blushed, my beauty did when I entered, and taking the rind from the latch unbroken to Ally's lap, snatched a hearty buss for my fee. Shortly after in rolled his worship, and the first thing he heard was little Admonition's tale, maliciously and shortly told, of the turnip charm. Sore was he at heart, though he affected to despise such follies; and I remember well, that on the same evening I gained a peg upon him thus: Ally, by accident, laid the bellows on the table whereupon his arm rested, and well the fat gentle knew, that she who places such an utensil on the board will be unlucky for three days after if she take it up again herself. Well he knew, too, that whosoever relieves the slut of that duty removes the ill-chance from her shoulders to his own; but fast he sat as roopy turkey-poult. I afforded him a fair opportunity to be gallant, but, finding him utterly currish, tripped at last across the floor and taking the bellows from his elbow hung it on its peg in the chimney. He repented when I touched it, but he was then too late. Thus obtained I a smile from my rose of the valley, and many a thorny look did she afterwards inflict on her cowardly suitor. The dame foamed, but I was merry with little Addy, and basked in the warm sunny looks of my love. Justice, thought I, to-day have I dealt thee a pong in the midriff. on. "He was a miserly rogue, and once when I came to his house in the way of my profession, on putting a handful from the heap which he warranted to be ashes of wood into my mouth, I knew, by the smack they left on my tongue, that they were vilely adulterated. Your worship,' said I, 'to every seam of your wood, you have burnt nine days gathering of cowdal from the moor, a hundred of turf, and many a square of tanners' leather-chips, as well as niggardly bricks of blended clay, small coal, and cinders-my palate tells me this; and yet you warrant the heap to be all hard-wood and coppice ash. Did you think my tongue was ignorant as a quarry-slate ?--Fie! fie!' This lie of his got abroad; he was nick-named for it, and I, by him, more hated than ever. He has a fish-pond in his grounds which, tradition saith, is the abiding place of a furious water-pixy for twenty days current at the conclusion of every century. I had heard of the sprite's tricks in the days of our grandads, and on the time of his re-appearance approaching, posted myself, night by night, near the pond, to watch his pranks. By way of amusing myself, I gutted the water, with the aid of Tommy, my otter, and feasted my friends with the spoil. They knew not where I obtained the fish-it was enough for them that they had it to prey Meantime I daily heard tales about the Pixy of Blackpool. He was described in a thousand different ways, and such feats were assigned to him as ear never heard before. I still fished in the watersTommy and I-but deuce a smiggott of aught wonderful saw we, save and except only a colossal carp now and then, during all our watchings. At last, his worship, while wandering with dame Shapcot about his lands to astound her with his rich possessions in beeve and fleece, unconsciously neared (about sunset) a hedge that fringed the bank of Blackpool. In the heat of an eloquent sally on the rare wool of his chilver-hogs then present, suddenly drops the uplifted cane from my gentleman's hand, he roars like a town-bull, and takes to his heels, most uncourteously leaving the dame to settle with his honour the Pixy in the best way she could. I was up to my belt in water when I heard his shout (he shouts well, his worship does), aiding Tommy to capture a fine fish. I was busied, to be sure, but I looked suddenly and carefully about me, and no pixy saw I-deuce a bit of one. The dame, however, vowed she did, and sorely terrified she was. I found her sprawling and praying on the ground-and most superfluous of kisses and kindness she became when I raised her up. As we walked towards home, she lavished curses, bitter as the words to which women are restricted could make, on the cowardly brutal Justice, for leaving a helpless woman in such a situation; and lauded me to the skies as a mirror of goodness and manhood. Ally despised his worship, and looked upon me as a living wonder, for my daring hardihood in rescuing her mother from the jaws of the terrible Blackpool goblin. I said nothing, but eh! me! how I chuckled! The Justice never showed his ruby |