THE BADGER, AND HOW HE IS HUNTED. 69 



" When the diggers had got down about four feet 

 they suddenly came upon a slab of rock, which was 

 obviously too big to lift. The forester swore roundly. 

 Fortunately when it was clear we found a vulnerable 

 part in the shape of a deep crack, into which a crowbar 

 was soon driven. Both men got hold of the bar and, 

 by pulling and pushing at it till all their muscles 

 cracked and their faces became almost black, they 

 managed to move a part of the slab. Finally it was 

 loosened and carefully raised out of the hole towards 

 us, who were waiting to receive it. 



" Now a thin layer of earth alone separated us from 

 the dogs, whose zeal and noise were stimulated by the 

 knowledge that help was at hand. Indeed, one of 

 them was spurred on to undue rashness, as his yelps of 

 wrathful pain showed us. Now mattock and pickaxe 

 are plied with a vengeance, the forester, who alone is 

 not in a state of excitement, begging the men to be 

 careful of the dogs. 



11 At last the pick goes through, and a dark opening 

 yawns before us. We have reached the hole and can 

 plainly hear the growling of the disturbed hermit. A 

 dog shows himself at the opening. Blood and dirt 

 make it impossible to say which, but the forester swiftly 

 seizes him, and in a minute he is making the wood 

 ring with his yelpings, being chained to a tree close at 

 hand. 



" ' If we only had Peter out now,' says the forester. 



" Forthwith, before he can be warned, one of the 

 woodmen throws himself on the ground and gropes 

 down the hole with extended arm. 



