78 Studies in Rat Catching, [ch. iv. 



above, the insects humming, the stubble 

 rustling, the trembling of a thrashing 

 machine, and the rush of a train in the far 

 distance. Jack returns from the pond, 

 throws himself on the ground on his face, 

 kicks his legs in the air and whistles softly, 

 with the gentle Grindum blinking beside 

 him. Chance and Tinker lie out full length 

 on their sides and go to sleep. Wasp 

 stretches on the ground, with her legs out 

 behind her, and drags herself about with her 

 front feet. Pepper sits down, scratches his 

 ear, and then dashes at a passing bumble bee, 

 and all becomes a pleasant jumble of sights 

 and sounds ; but, with a start, I recover my- 

 self, drop my pipe, topple my hat off and lose 

 my temper, for that everlastingly restless, 

 volatile, good-for-nothing, ramshackly beast. 

 Pepper, has been and licked me all up the 

 side of the face ! The dream, the quiet, the 

 rest is all broken, so, jumping up, I tip my 



