68 Studies in Rat Catching, [ch. iv. 



Before I get to the box I hear the ferrets 

 jumping up at the sides, and when I open the 

 lid half a dozen are out in a moment, and 

 these I bag as a reward for their activity. I 

 throw the others a rat to console them for 

 being left at home, and, giving the ferrets to 

 Jack, I strap on a big game bag, take up my 

 spade, return and let the dogs out, and off 

 we start. 



Step out quick. Jack ; there are three miles 

 to go before we get to work, and it is 8 a.m. 

 and I expect a big day. Yes, Chance, old lady, 

 a fine day — a perfect day — a day to make both 

 the feet and the heart light and every human 

 sense rejoice. There has been just a little 

 frost in the night : you can see that by the 

 way the elms have spread a golden carpet 

 under their branches in the lane and by their 

 leaves that yet keep falling slowly one by one 

 in the fresh, but dead still, air, and by the 

 smell of the turnips, the fresh stubble and 



