CH. II.] Ratting Tools. 29 



stack without coming to the ground. There- 

 fore, before putting in the ferrets, I take a 

 ladder, and going round the eaves of the 

 stack I stick the boards in so as to cut off 

 these runs, and when a rat goes off for a 

 gallop he comes to "no thoroughfare," and 

 feeling sure the ferret is after him, he in 

 desperation comes to the ground, and then 

 the dogs can have a chance. I once killed 

 twenty-eight rats out of a big stack in twenty 

 minutes after the ferrets were put in, all 

 thanks to these stop-boards ; and though I 

 ran the ferrets through and through the stack 

 afterwards, I did not start another, and so I 

 believe I had got the lot. 



I think I have enumerated all the tools 

 required for rat-catching. I need not men- 

 tion a knife and a piece of string, as all 

 honest men have them in their pocket 

 always, even on Sundays. Some rat-catchers 

 take with them thick leather gloves to save 



