human
Ay, lad, treat!--why, there's nigh upon fourscore, I know.
gpt
Seems so precious cruel,
human
Cruel!
gpt
Yes, and treacherous,
human
Deal more cruel for me to be found starved to death in my place some day, said Dave.
gpt
Pie-wipes eats the beedles and wains, don't they? Well, we eats the pie-wipes, or sells 'em, and buys flour and bacon. Get out wi' ye! Cruel! Yow don't like piewipe pie!
human
I did, and roast piewipe too, cried Dick;
gpt
Hark at him! cried Dave, going on rapidly with his task and packing up his stuffed birds neatly in their basket, drawing out his pegs, and then rolling up and wringing the wet net before placing it in the punt, and winding in the dripping line which he drew through the water from the reed-bed.
human
Hark at him, young Tom Tallington! --and he uttered now a peculiarly ugly harsh laugh--
gpt
Look here, Dave! cried Dick passionately,
human
he shouted, seizing the cage;
gpt
I'll drown all your decoys!
human
Ay, do! said Dave, beginning to use the pole.
gpt
You're such a particular young gentleman! Only, wouldn't it be cruel?
human
Ha--ha--ha!
gpt
Do you want me to punch your head, Tom?
human
Nay, lads, don't spyle a nice bit o' sport by quarrelling, said Dave, sending the boat rapidly homeward.
gpt
I wean't laugh at you no more, Mester Dick. I like you for it, lad. It do seem cruel; and sometimes when I weer younger, and a bud looked up at me with its pretty eyes, as much as to say, `don't kill me!' I would let it go.
human
Ah!
gpt
But what did that bud do, lad? If it was a piewipe, go and kill hundreds o' worms, and snails, and young frogs; if it was a heron, spear fish and pick the wriggling young eels out of the mud. No, lad, it wean't do; buds is the cruellest things there is, pretty as they are-- all except them as only eats seeds. Everything 'most is cruel; but if they wasn't the world would get so full that everything would starve. We've got say fourscore pie-wipes--not for fun, but for wittles--and what's fourscore when there's thousands upon thousands all about?
human
Why, Dave, you're a philosopher!
gpt
Yes, said Dave complacently, but with a very foggy idea of the meaning of the word;
human
I beg your pardon, Dave, after what you did for us. May I take up the gun?
gpt
Ay. Steady, lad!--keep her head over the stem, and I'll turn the boat round and send you along gently. Now you lie down on your chesty and rest the barr'l on the net, for she's too heavy for you to handle. Then wait till the ducks rise, and let go at 'em.