122 FRESH WOODS. 



bunny, with a tremendous dash, making 

 straight for the cow. In an instant, and just 

 like the bold lion-hunter aforesaid, my nerves 

 became perfectly calm. I took a steady, 

 deliberate aim : I fired, and, to my astonish- 

 ment, bunny rolled over on the grass dead 

 as a doormat ! I felt like a murderer. 



This was triumph enough for one day ; no 

 more shooting for me. I returned the gun 

 to Venator. To say nothing of my moral 

 scruples, I did not want to endanger the good 

 impression I must have made on Joyce's 

 mind by this efficient display of sportsman- 

 ship. 



Then we had trouble in getting Bob, the 

 ferret, out ; he would come to the mouth of 

 the hole and sniff round, wondering what 

 had become of the rabbit, and then rush 

 back again. Joyce, who is full of expedients, 

 and understands and delights in this sort of 

 thing, threw the dead rabbit into the hole, 

 and squealed just like a live one ; out comes 

 Bob, seizes the rabbit ; Joyce seizes Bob, and 

 bags him. 



Subsequently two rabbits took refuge in 

 one hole ; Bob was put in after them. He 

 managed to kill one, suck his blood, and then 

 no doubt he rolled himself up comfortably for 

 a nap. Spade and pick-axe had to be fetched. 



