WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



The third vole was a big buck, and of the 

 way I came by him I am rather ashamed, for 

 he was turned out of house and home by 

 decidedly unfair means. Down by the pond 

 in the garden was a system of vole runs, at 

 which my brother and I were looking one day. 

 There was a hole going apparently straight 

 down into the ground, and my brother, who 

 had the watering-can in his hand, looked at 

 me and said, c Just a little water and the mouse 

 would have to come out.' 6 It seems a mean 

 thing to do ! ' I answered weakly, as a steady 

 stream of water poured down into its strong- 

 hold. There was a gurgling sound, something 

 was coming up the hole, and a moment later a 

 large meadow vole shot out of it like a Jack- 

 in-the-box. He came out with such a jump 

 that he sprang straight into the pond. Already 

 half-drowned by the water in the hole he did 

 not swim as well as he would otherwise have 

 done, but a butterfly net was near, and with 

 it he was soon rescued. However, the cold and 

 wet had cramped him so that I rushed off with 

 him to the kitchen fire, and holding him before 

 the blaze awaited results. In a minute or two 

 he evidently felt better, for he sat up and began 

 to lick himself and put his fur in order. Then 

 276 



