These nests sell at a high price in towns to egg-collectors, closet naturalists, and buyers of curiosities.
“You’ll make your money of that, guv’nor. It’s a stunner—aint it?”
“Not a bad one of its sort; but, lor’ love ye, the job is to find a customer. It’s only one here and there who knows what’s worth buying and what’s best left alone. Still, ye see, it won’t hurt by keepin’, and it won’t die, as many of the birds do. I’ve been very unlucky wi’ my birds of late.”
“Have you, though? They croak, I s’pose?”
“That’s it; right you are. They do croak, and no mistake. Howsomdever, it can’t be helped. Do you know of any more nests, young shaver—some with bigger eggs, you know?”
“Ah! you mean some of the other sort?”
This is a cant term among poachers for those eggs which are preserved by the hand of the law.
The fowler started, and looked at the speaker with his right eye only.
“You’re a queer young bloke,” he muttered, “down as a hammer, and no mistake. Oh! you’re fly, my lad—fly to a thing or two—there aint no manner of doubt about that ’ere!”
Alf laughed. He was much charmed with his companion’s quaint and curious ways.