Aw, sir, 'twas a beautiful scarecrow; an' when us stuck et up, I tell
'ee that from the kitchen windeys, three hundred yards away, et
seemed like life itsel'.
"Well, sir, fust day 'twas stuck there, I sot beside the hedge, round
the corner, watchin', and while I sot two queerish things happen'd--
tho' the fust warn't so queer nuther, but jest human natur', when you
comes to consider et. 'Twas this. I hadn' been there an hour afore
_two score an' dree wimmen_--I knows, 'cos I kep' count--came, wan
arter anuther, down to the gate to make sheep's eyes at that
scarecrow, havin' heerd as there was a well-dressed lad down among
the peas. An' that's true, ef I swears et 'pon the Book."
"Ah!" was Mr. Fogo's only comment.
"Iss, sir; an' well you may say so. But the nex' thing I noticed was
a sight queerer. In fac' I dunno but et's the queerest go I iver
heard tell 'bout. But you may jedge for yoursel'.
"I'd been a-settin' there for the best part o' two hour, an' keepin'
count o' how wan bird arter another comed up for they peas, an'
turned tail at sight o' the scarecrow. For et didn' seem like no
ord'nary scarecrow, sir, wi' that eye a-glintin' in the sunshine.
I cou'd see 't from where I sot--an' so the birds thought. Well, wan
arter another, they steps up an' flies off as ef hurried for time,
when by-'m-by 'long comes an ould rook.
Pages:
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133