neck an' crop. In the big kitchen fireplace they found a large flagstone level with the floor, with an iron ring let in the middle; on the top of it was another stone. Our fires is never out, winter nor summer, ye know; we burns wood. The fire burns flat on the hearth; an' when ye comes. down in the morning there's allers live embers there; all ye has to do is to put some spray on, and rake them up a bit. That smugglin' lot kept the embers over they stones, an' sometimes they burned a bit; but their regular fire was in another place.

"The landlord had the stone grubbed up, and underneath they found a cellar. The stuff they got there they divided amongst 'em, and the gang duresn't say nothing about it, for the gentry round said as they should be hunted down like foxes; though, as a rule, they never meddled with them as lived near: 'twas mostly the gentry's houses furder as suffered.

"One o' they drove up to London in his carriage, an' he see the head people at Bow Streethis valet it was told us—and a while arter that some new, rough-lookin' customers was sin moochin' an'

wanderin' round. To look at they was a more desprit-looking lot than the old uns. They got in tow with 'em quick too, and told 'em as they could take all as they could git, and would find 'em a better price by a long way than what they'd bin gettin'. They brought fast-trottin' ponies an' light springcarts to take the game an' other things away. Some o' th' old gang, jist to see what stuff the new chums was made on, in case a scrimmage came, kicked up a row an' hit some on 'em. They was soon satisfied, however, fur they hit out most terrible, an' some on 'em they throwed up on their backs, with a turn o' the foot like, enuf to bust 'em. Arter that they would do anything to please 'em; an' the new uns, jest to prove to 'em as all was right an' square, turned gold over to 'em, as earnest fur the jobs they had before 'em.

"When everything was ready for action like, they planned a housebreakin' job fur one thing, an' a game-harryin' bit fur another; all on it to come off the same night. The night afore that, they'd done some sheep-stealin'. They was bold over it, fur they killed 'em in the fold an' they dressed 'em there, an' left the skins. The night come, an' they

was full swing at their bad work, with the ponies an' carts close handy, when a whistle was blowed. All at once the new mates collared 'em an' clapped a pistol to the head o' each on 'em. Other men rushed up from some hidin'-place, an' the handcuffs was on 'em in a jiff, afore they knowed where they was. 'Twas a rum lot o' game the carts took off that night. They was missed but not wanted, and nobody knowed whear they'd got to, till it leaked out as they'd got 'em all right, an' meant a-keepin' on 'em.

"Noosepapers was scarce in those days, and noose travelled slow. Precious few could read if they'd got the papers; this was an out-o'-theway sort o' place, and is now, for that matter. Anyhow, we knowed later on as all the gang got transported fur that night's work, an' fur what they'd done afore. Two on 'em, thinkin' to get off light, split on t'others. None on 'em was ever sin round here agin, an' fur the fust time fur many years the foresters could sleep in peace.

"Years has gone by since then, an' the families. as they left behind has growed up long ago, an' had What's bred in the bone'll

families o' their own.

out in the flesh, an' the folks round the forest allus looked cool on 'em, till they cleared out too, an' went elsewhere.

"So that's a change for the better, as we've sin, mother an' me. 'Tis no use sayin' as times is wuss every way than they was."

CHAPTER VIII.

BY THE MILL-STREAM.

OUR mill-stream-the Tillingbourne, in point of fact, —at first a mere rill, having its source on the top of the moor, hidden in many places by a tangled growth of fern, heath, and rushes—as it grows, forms here and there small pools, clear as crystal-dipholes, as the cottagers call them. Almost from its source you will see trout in it if you look well, small ones but very lively, the largest weighing, perhaps, three ounces. Where the run of water is clear of undergrowth, you may see them rush up in a shoal when startled. Either from want of food, or perhaps from overcrowding, they do not grow larger here. With the exception of a black-cock or a wood-pigeon coming to drink, and that not often, little of birdlife is to be seen.