100 THE LIFE STORY OF AN OTTER 



hounds, Venom, the terrier, was sent in to drive 

 the otter out. ' He'll soon have un out,' said a 

 man in a blue guernsey who knew his worth. 

 But hard and game as the terrier was, the otter 

 was his match. So the squire must have thought, 

 for he determined to send Vic to his assistance. 

 As soon as she was released, the eager little 

 thing swam whining along the passage and 

 joined in the fight ; but, owing to the cramped 

 quarters, instead of assisting her mate she 

 hampered him. Once the tip of the otter's 

 rudder showed momentarily, raising the excite- 

 ment to fever-pitch ; but this was followed by a 

 long spell during which not a hair of either 

 terrier or otter was visible. 



* They'll never drive un, squire,' the woodman 

 ventured to say. * Why not flood the varmint 

 out? Theere's a good head of water.' 



* Too good a head, I fear ; but we'll try. The 

 terriers have had about enough. Get 'em out if 

 you can.' 



Watching his opportunity, the woodman 

 managed to pull Vic out almost at once, and 

 Venom after a while. Both were terribly cut 

 up. The sight of their wounds angered the 

 squire, who at once called out : ' Now, men, 

 build a dam, and look lively ; that otter shan't 



