196 



The Book of Woodcraft 



we had brought in the hope that we might run to earth a 

 rabbit; and this particular ferret was, hke everything his 

 owner had, "absolutely the best in Canada." He claimed 

 that it could kill rats, six at a time; that it could drive 

 a fox out of its hole; that it was not afraid of a coon; 

 while a skunk or a mink was simply beneath its notice. 

 I now suggested that this greatest of ferrets be turned 

 in after the mink, while we watched around the pile of 

 logs. 



I never did Hke a ferret. He is such an imp of murder 

 incarnate. It always gives me the creeps to see the blood- 

 thirsty brute, like a four-legged snake, dive into some hole, 



Skunk track 



'— /t'n — J 



with death and slaughter as his job. I hate him ; but, after 

 all, there is something thrilhng and admirable about his 

 perfectly diabolical courage. How would one of us like 

 to be sent alone into a dark cave, to find out and fight 

 some unknown monster, much larger than ourselves, 

 and able, for aught we know, to tear us into pieces in 

 a moment! 



But the ferret never faltered; he dived into the log laby- 

 rinth. It was a small ferret and a big mink; I awaited 

 anxiously. After a long silence, we saw our four-footed 

 partner at the farther end, unruffled, calm and smuous. 



