92 Studies in Rat Catching, [ch, v. 



fessional services were called in to get rid of 

 them. How they got into the house I never 

 discovered, for there were no holes from the 

 outside, and no creepers on the walls for 

 them to mount by and get on to the roof ; 

 the drains did not appear to communicate 

 with the inside of the house, and all the 

 doors fitted tight. Equally puzzling was it, 

 now that they were inside, to get them out, 

 for I dare not put ferrets in, for fear they 

 should kill a rat and leave it to decay and 

 smell for months. 



I tried various plans. I got a live rat, 

 tied a ferret's bell on it, and turned it loose, 

 and for days after it was constantly heard 

 tinkling inside the walls ; but it did not drive 

 the rats away. I singed the coat of a rat, 

 put tar on the feet of another and turned 

 them loose ; but it was no good. At last I 

 took possession of a wood-house in a cellar 

 down in the basement, from which a short 



