FERRETS IN HOUSES 49 



hopes that we might recover it in the morning ; 

 but for two days nothing was to be seen of it. 

 At the end of that time it was discovered in the 

 back premises of the village butcher. It must 

 have made its way over a long stretch of down- 

 land, and through part of the village. It had 

 been doubtless attracted to that particular spot by 

 the scent of the slaughter-house, having probably, 

 in the first instance, made its way back to the 

 village for warmth, or to return to its home. 



It is a terrible thing to lose a ferret in a house 

 where it has been found necessary to dislodge rats 

 which may have taken up their abode therein, 

 for there is no knowing when or where the 

 animal may reappear, and so the whole establish- 

 ment is kept in a state of excitement, fearful 

 lest it should emerge in the night and fasten 

 on some member of the household when asleep, 

 and not a little apprehensive that it may become 

 wedged in amongst some portion of the building, 

 and, dying there, render the house uninhabitable 

 for the time being. I once thus lost a ferret in my 

 house, though I was fortunate enough to recover 

 it alive by cutting a hole in the ceiling of one of 

 the upper rooms. We had been considerably 

 annoyed by the rats, and I was at a loss to know 

 what to do, for I feared to again make use of 

 ferrets in so ancient a building. Eventually I 

 thought of a plan, which succeeded so admirably 

 that I think it worth while to inform my readers. 

 Being aware that, for a long time after a house 



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