8o Studies in Rat Catching, [ch. iv. 



them and gradually draw the whisp of grass 

 into the drain. It fits tight and takes some 

 pulling, but it comes steadily along, wiping 

 all before it. Faster and faster the rats bolt 

 and are killed, and even old Chance, who 

 began by watching us, gets excited and joins 

 the sport. Pepper and Wasp dash in for a 

 last worry, which is over in a few minutes, 

 when twenty-four rats are cast by Jack up on 

 to the bank. Well done, dogs ! well done, 

 good dogs ! Woo-hoop, woo-hoop ! Good 

 dogs ! That's the way, my boys ! Woo- 

 hoop ! woo-hoop ! And the dogs roll on the 

 ground, stretch, wipe the dirt out of their 

 eyes with their paws, and rub their faces in 

 the grass. 



Jack goes backwards and forwards and 

 collects the spoil, and we count up seventy- 

 three real beauties, a few of which I really 

 think should be fourpenny beasts, they are 

 so big. Never mind, seventy-three rats at 



