CH. VII.] A Day with the Purse Nets. 123 



varying success, and we rejoice when we 

 reach the last side of the field and get into 

 clay again, where holes are short and most 

 of the rabbits bolt at once. During all the 

 day we only stopped once for half-an-hour to 

 get a snack of bread and cheese, and by the 

 time the cock partridges began to call their 

 families together for roost, and the teams in 

 the next field to knock off ploughing, we are 

 all, man, boy, dogs and ferrets, fairly tired, 

 and are glad to tumble seventeen couple of 

 rabbits into the keeper's cart that has been 

 sent out for them, and trudge off home 

 ourselves. 



Now for another day's sport that was 

 quite different. No dogs with us, only a bag 

 of ready-muzzled ferrets, a bundle of purse 

 nets and a spade Success will depend on 

 perfect quiet, and even the patter of the 

 dogs' feet would spoil our sport, so they are 

 at home for once, and Jack and I are alone. 



