Ferreting 197 



The first he says often come off, and the second 

 embarrass the ferret and sometimes catch in project- 

 ing rootlets and hold it fast He has, too, a line 

 many yards of stout twine wound about a short stick 

 to line a ferret if necessary. 



The ferrets are placed in a smaller bag, tightly 

 tied at the top for they will work through and get 

 out if any aperture be left. Inside the bag is a little 

 hay for them to lay on. He prefers the fitchew ferret 

 as he calls it ; that is the sort that are coloured like a 

 polecat. He says they are fiercer, larger of make and 

 more powerful. But he has also a couple of white 

 ones with pink eyes. Besides the sack of nets, the 

 bag of ferrets, and a small bundle in a knotted hand- 

 kerchief his ' nuncheon ' which in themselves make 

 a tolerable load, he has brought a billhook, and a 

 c navigator/ or draining-tool. 



This is a narrow spade of specially stout make ; 

 the blade is hollow and resembles an exaggerated 

 gouge, and the advantage is that in digging out a 

 rabbit the tool is very apt to catch under a root, when 

 an ordinary spade may bend and become useless. 

 The 'navigator' will stand anything, and being 

 narrow is also more handy. All these implements 

 Little John has prepared by the dim light of a horn 

 lantern in the shed at the back of his cottage, A 



