194 WOODLAND, MOOR, AND STREAM 



to the farm, which is used in hard weather for the 

 sheep that remain in the marshes. When the farmer 

 overtakes him there, he finds Bob at work with his 

 broad forepaws at a hole close to one of the inner 

 posts that support the roof. 



'Speak to him, boy! What is it? Rat, eh?' 

 The dog pauses in his uptearing proceedings, and 

 looks out from the tangled hair which partly covers 

 his great brown eyes into his master's face, gives a 

 growl, as much as to say, ' Don't talk like a fool if 

 you can help it,' and goes on with his digging at a 

 furious rate. ' Steady, old boy, steady ! ' says the 

 farmer, as he goes to another hole a short distance 

 further on. He drives his stake into that and pro- 

 ceeds as he did at the drain. This time his energetic 

 movements are rewarded, and his nose to use his 

 own expression 'reg'larly abominated,' for, after 

 that gorging rneal the farmer's poultry had afforded 

 the polecat, he does not like being disturbed in such 

 unceremonious fashion, and does his best to merit the 

 title Linnaeus gave him of Mustela putorius. Bob 

 now winds him and instantly stands perfectly still, 

 with his head a little on one side, listening intently. 

 That rattling with the pole from side to side goes 

 on, threatening to cause earthquake in the polecat's 

 burrow, so he decides to quit not in a hurry, but in 



