"The mystery of the light is explained," said Frank. "Hallo! you there, what are you doing that for?"
The man started and looked round, answering surlily,
"What's that to you?"
"Oh, don't get into a wax. We only want to know for information's sake. What will you sell that ruff for?"
"Two shillings, sir," replied the man, in a much more civil tone.
"Well, here you are. Are there many ruffs about here?"
"No, sir, I have not seen any for the last two years until this spring. They used to be common enough when I was a lad, and I have taken a score in one morning with these snares. I have seen more than a dozen together on one hill, and twice as many reeves around looking on. Those were fine times for us fowlers, those were."
The boys asked to be allowed to look at his snares. They were made of horsehair, and were set in this fashion:—A length of hair with a running noose at each end was fixed by the middle into the slit of a peg, which was then driven into the ground. A number of these were set round the base of the hill with the nooses projecting about an inch above the surface of the herbage, and as the birds were driven off the hill they were caught by them. It was necessary, the man said, to keep a strict watch on the snares, for the birds sometimes broke away, or the rats and weasels, of which there are plenty in the marshes, would be beforehand with the fowler and seize the captured birds.
"I suppose you were setting your snares last night?"
"Ay, sir," replied the man, laughing; "I heard you coming after me, so I put my light out. I did not know what sort of men you might be, and they make believe to preserve these marshes now, and it is hard work for us to get a living."