One day when the provision man called, Hardacre was in one of the fields a little distance from the house, and the man came over to find him and get his order. Hardacre was watering his fowls and the tradesman, with poultry of his own, was immensely struck with the appearance of some of the prize birds. He was most enthusiastic about them and, an inveterate gossip, Hardacre was sure he would spread all over the district what good-class birds they were. That might mean, he cursed, people coming to see them and, almost as bad, thieves coming after them at night.
So he bought a big ugly-looking dog to mount guard, and was immensely pleased the animal growled savagely at the tradesman and wanted to go for him whenever he called. With a grim smile, he hoped the man would broadcast that about,
