64 WOODLAND, MOOR, AND STREAM 



creatures are about, and he makes their acquaintance 

 much to his own satisfaction, if not to theirs. 



Little does he think that he is wanted on this 

 particular evening. Whilst he goes plodding along, 

 picking up a little bit here and there, the keeper and 

 his lad are holding some conversation about him. I 

 happen to come across them ; my sympathies are 

 with the badger, but it is not my business to interfere. 



' Have ye got the bag and sack, Jim ? If ye 

 have, jest make yer way, quiet-like, over t'other hill, 

 an' cum down the side on it on the quiet, mind ; fix 

 yer bag, an' when 'tis done, give three hoots, one 

 arter t'other, to let me know as things is all right ; 

 ye minds what I tell ye ; I'm goin' back to get 

 Ginger an' Nipper. They'll hussle him up, an' no 

 mistake. They ain't big uns, but better tarriers than 

 what they be never cum inter this 'ere wurld. Now- 

 then, off ye goes, an' before ye gits yer job done I 

 shall be near to ye, fur to hear ye hoot : he's sartin 

 sure to be on the ramble.' 



Arriving at the spot, Jim produces the bag, or 

 rather a small sack, from his jacket pocket, and places 

 it in the entrance to the badger's burrow in such a 

 way that should the animal rush for home, as he 

 generally does when alarmed, he will go right into it. 

 The string that runs round the mouth of the sack will 



