CH. IV.] Rats up a Pollard. 75 



After this we got on much faster ; the 

 holes were close together, and even with the 

 greatest care lots of rats bolted and went 

 forward, but I would not allow the dogs to 

 disturb fresh ground by following them. 

 Some went back, and Pepper and Wasp had 

 a good time, for I let them follow and work 

 them alone, having stopped all back holes 

 after ferreting them. Now and then, Jack 

 and I had to go back, as there was an old 

 pollard tree covered with ivy, and many of 

 the rats got up that, and Pincher had to be 

 lifted up into the crown to displace them, 

 and then when they jumped down, three 

 or four at a time, there was a grand 

 scrimmage. 



When we had got twenty yards or so from 

 the gateway, Grindum went forward and 

 stood there and killed a dozen rats that tried 

 to pass, and a lot more went into the pipe 

 under the roadway. These we left alone, 



