he　laws　of　the　countryif　there　be　laws；　there　must　be　lawyers　to　explain；　and　judges　to　administer　them。'
  Joshua　smiled；　and　pointed　to　the　sheep　which　were　grazing　on　the　downs　over　which　we　were　travelling。　　'Were　a　wolf；'　he　said；　'to　come　even　now　upon　yonder　flocks；　they　would　crowd　for　protection；　doubtless；　around　the　shepherd　and　his　dogs；　yet　they　are　bitten　and　harassed　daily　by　the　one；　shorn；　and　finally　killed　and　eaten　by　the　other。　　But　I　say　not　this　to　shock　you；　for；　though　laws　and　lawyers　are　evils；　yet　they　are　necessary　evils　in　this　probationary　state　of　society；　till　man　shall　learn　to　render　unto　his　fellows　that　which　is　their　due；　according　to　the　light　of　his　own　conscience；　and　through　no　other　compulsion。　Meanwhile；　I　have　known　many　righteous　men　who　have　followed　thy　intended　profession　in　honesty　and　uprightness　of　walk。　　The　greater　their　merit；　who　walk　erect　in　a　path　which　so　many　find　slippery。
  'And　angling；'　said　I：'you　object　to　that　also　as　an　amusement；　you　who；　if　I　understood　rightly　what　passed　between　you　and　my　late　landlord；　are　yourself　a　proprietor　of　fisheries。'
  'Not　a　proprietor；'　he　replied；　'I　am　only；　in　copartnery　with　others；　a　tacksman　or　lessee　of　some　valuable　salmon…fisheries　a　little　down　the　coast。　　But　mistake　me　not。　　The　evil　of　angling；　with　which　I　class　all　sports；　as　they　are　called；　which　have　the　sufferings　of　animals　for　their　end　and　object；　does　not　consist　in　the　mere　catching　and　killing　those　animals　with　which　the　bounty　of　Providence　hath　stocked　the　earth　for　the　good　of　man；　but　in　making　their　protracted　agony　a　principle　of　delight　and　enjoyment。　　I　do　indeed　cause　these　fisheries　to　be　conducted　for　the　necessary　taking；　killing；　and　selling　the　fish；　and；　in　the　same　way；　were　I　a　farmer；　I　should　send　my　lambs　to　market。　　But　I　should　as　soon　think　of　contriving　myself　a　sport　and　amusement　out　of　the　trade　of　the　butcher　as　out　of　that　of　the　fisher。'
  We　argued　the　point　no　further；　for　though　I　thought　his　arguments　a　little　too　high…strained；　yet　as　my　mind　acquitted　me　of　having　taken　delight　in　aught　but　the　theory　of　field…sports；　I　did　not　think　myself　called　upon　stubbornly　to　advocate　a　practice　which　had　afforded　me　so　little　pleasure。
  We　had　by　this　time　arrived　at　the　remains　of　an　old　finger…post；　which　my　host　had　formerly　pointed　out　as　a　landmark。　　Here；　a　ruinous　wooden　bridge；　supported　by　long　posts　resembling　crutches；　served　me　to　get　across　the　water；　while　my　new　friend　sought　a　ford　a　good　way　higher　up；　for　the　stream　was　considerably　swelled。
  As　I　paused　for　his　rejoining　me；　I　observed　an　angler　at　a　little　distance　pouching　trout　after　trout；　as　fast　almost　as　he　could　cast　his　line；　and　I　own；　in　spite　of　Joshua's　lecture　on　humanity；　I　could　not　but　envy　his　adroitness　and　success；　so　natural　is　the　love　of　sport　to　our　minds；　or　so　easily　are　we　taught　to　assimilate　success　in　field…sports　with　ideas　of　pleasure；　and　with　the　praise　due　to　address　and　agility。　　I　soon　recognized　in　the　successful　angler　little　Benjie；　who　had　been　my　guide　and　tutor　in　that　gentle　art；　as　you　have　learned　from　my　former　letters。　　I　calledI　whistledthe　rascal　recognized　me；　and；　starting　like　a　guilty　thing；　seemed　hesitating　whether　to　approach　or　to　run　away；　and　when　he　determined　on　the　former；　it　was　to　assail　me　with　a　loud；　clamorous；　and　exaggerated　report　of　the　anxiety　of　all　at　the　Shepherd's　Bush　for　my　personal　　safety；　how　my　landlady　had　wept；　how　Sam　and　the　ostler　had　not　the　heart　to　go　to　bed；　but　sat　up　all　night　drinkingand　how　he　himself　had　been　up　long　before　daybreak　to　go　in　quest　of　me。
  'And　you　were　switching　the　water；　I　suppose；'　said　I；　'to　discover　my　dead　body？'
  This　observation　produced　a　long　'Naaa'　of　acknowledged　detection；　but；　with　his　natural　impudence；　and　confidence　in　my　good　nature；　he　immediately　added；　'that　he　thought　I　would　like　a　fresh　trout　or　twa　for　breakfast；　and　the　water　being　in　such　a　rare　trim　for　the　saumon　raun；　＇The　bait　made　of　salmon…roe　salted　and　preserved。　　In　a　swollen　river；　and　about　the　month　of　October；　it　is　a　most　deadly　bait。＇　　he　couldna　help　taking　a　cast。'
  While　we　were　engaged　in　this　discussion；　the　honest　Quaker　returned　to　the　farther　end　of　the　wooden　bridge　to　tell　me　he　could　not　venture　to　cross　the　brook　in　its　present　state：　　but　would　be　under　the　necessity　to　ride　round　by　the　stone　bridge；　which　was　a　mile　and　a　half　higher　up　than　his　own　house。　　He　was　about　to　give　me　directions　how　to　proceed　without　him；　and　inquire　for　his　sister；　when　I　suggested　to　him　that；　if　he　pleased　to　trust　his　horse　to　little　Benjie；　the　boy　might　carry　him　round　by　the　bridge；　while　we　walked　the　shorter　and　more　pleasant　road。
  Joshua　shook　his　head；　for　he　was　well　acquainted　with　Benjie；　who；　he　said；　was　the　naughtiest　varlet　in　the　whole　neighbourhood。　　Nevertheless；　rather　than　part　company；　he　agreed　to　put　the　pony　under　his　charge　for　a　short　season；　with　many　injunctions　that　he　should　not　attempt　to　mount；　but　lead　the　pony　（even　Solomon）　by　the　bridle；　under　the　assurances　of　sixpence　in　case　of　proper　demeanour；　and　penalty　that　if　he　transgressed　the　orders　given　him；　'verily　he　would　be　scourged。'
  Promises　cost　Benjie　nothing；　and　he　showered　them　out　wholesale；　till　the　Quaker　at　length　yielded　up　the　bridle　to　him；　repeating　his　charges；　and　enforcing　them　by　holding　up　his　forefinger。　　On　my　part；　I　called　to　Benjie　to　leave　the　fish　he　had　taken　at　Mount　Sharon；　making；　at　the　same　time；　an　apologetic　countenance　to　my　new　friend；　not　being　quite　aware　whether　the　compliment　would　be　agreeable　to　such　a　condemner　of　field…sports。
  He　understood　me　at　once；　and　reminded　me　of　the　practical　distinction　betwixt　catching　the　animals　as　an　object　of　cruel　and　wanton　sport；　and　eating　them　as　lawful　and　gratifying　articles　of　food；　after　they　were　killed。　　On　the　latter　point　he　had　no　scruples；　but；　on　the　contrary；　assured　me　that　this　brook　contained　the　real　red　trout；　so　highly　esteemed　by　all　connoisseurs；　and　that；　when　eaten　within　an　hour　of　their　being　caught；　they　had　a　peculiar　firmness　of　substance　and　delicacy　of　flavour；　which　rendered　them　an　agreeable　addition　to　a　morning　meal；　especially　when　earned；　like　ours；　by　early　rising；　and　an　hour　or　two's　wholesome　exercise。
  But　to　thy　alarm　be　it　spoken；　Alan；　we　did　not　come　so　far　as　the　frying　of　our　fish　without　further　adventure。　　So　it　is　only　to　spare　thy　patience；　and　mine　own　eyes；　that　I　pull　up　for　the　present；　and　send　thee　the　rest　of　my　story　in　a　subsequent　letter。
  LETTER　VII
  THE　SAME　TO　THE　SAME　（In　continuation。）
  Little　Benjie；　with　the　pony；　having　been　sent　off　on　the　left　side　of　the　brook；　the　Quaker　and　I　sauntered　on；　like　the　cavalry　and　infantry　of　the　same　army　occupying　the　opposite　banks　of　a　river；　and　observing　the　same　line　of　march。　　But；　while　my　worthy　companion　was　assuring　me　of　a　pleasant　greensward　walk　to　his　mansion；　little　Benjie；　who　had　been　charged　to　keep　in　sight；　chose　to　deviate　from　the　path　assigned　him；　and；　turning　to　the　right；　led　his　charge；　Solomon；　out　of　our　vision。
  'The　villain　means　to　mount　him！'　　cried　Joshua；　with　more　vivacity　than　was　consistent　with　his　profession　of　passive　endurance。
  I　endeavoured　to　appease　his　apprehensions；　as　he　pushed　on；　wiping　his　brow　with　vexation；　assuring　him　that；　if　the　boy　did　mount；　he　would；　for　his　own　sake；　ride　gently。
  'You　do　not　know　him；'　said　Joshua；　rejecting　all　consolation；　'HE　do　anything　gently！no；　he　will　gallop　Solomonhe　will　misuse　the　sober　patience　of　the　poor　animal　who　has　borne　me　so　long！　　Yes；　I　was　given　over　to　my　own　devices　when　I　ever　let　him　touch　the　bridle；　for　such　a　little　miscreant　there　never　was　before　him　in　this　country。'
  He　then　proceeded　to　expatiate　on　every　sort　of　rustic　enormity　of　which　he　accused　Benjie。　　He　had　been　suspected　of　snaring　partridgeswas　detected　by　Joshua　himself　in　liming　singing…　birdsstood　fully　charged　with　having　worried　several　cats；　by　aid　of　a　lurcher　which　attended　him；　and　which　was　as　lean；　and　ragged；　and　mischievous；　as　his　master。　　Finally；　Benjie　stood　accused　of　having　stolen　a　duck；　to　hunt　it　with　the　said　lurcher；　which　was　as　dexterous　on　water　as　on　land。　　I　chimed　in　with　my　friend；　in　order　to　avoid　giving　him　further　irritation；　and　declared　I　should　be　disposed；　from　my　own　experience；　to　give　up　Benjie　as　one　of　Satan's　imps。　　Joshua　Geddes　began　to　censure　the　phrase　as　too　much　exaggerated；　and　otherwise　unbecoming　the　mouth　of　a　reflecting　person；　and；　just　as　I　was　apologizing　for　it；　as　being　a　term　of　common　parlance；　we　heard　certain　sounds　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　brook；　which　seemed　to　indicate　that　Solomon　and　Benjie　were　at　issue　together。　　The　sandhills　behind　which　Benjie　seemed　to　take　his　course；　had　concealed　from　us；　as　doubtless　he　meant　they　should；　his　ascent　into　the　forbidden　saddle；　and；　putting　Solomon　to　his　mettle；　which　he　was　seldom　called　upon　to　exert；　they　had　cantered　away　together　in　great　amity；　till　they　came　near　to　the　ford　from　which　the　palfrey's　legitimate　owner　had　already　turned　back。
  Here　a　contest