30 The Amateur Poacher 



leading man among the ' Ranters,' and frequently 

 exhorted them in his cottage. 



The carter's lad was about at the time, and for the 

 moment we thought of applying to him. He was 

 standing on the threshold of the stable, under the 

 horseshoes and weasels' feet nailed up to keep the 

 witches away, teasing a bat that he had found under 

 the tiles. But suddenly the dusky thing bit him 

 sharply, and he uttered an oath ; while the creature, 

 released, flew aimlessly into the elms. It was better 

 to avoid him. 



Indoors, they would have put a very heavy hand 

 upon the notion had they known of it : so we had to 

 rely solely upon the teaching of experiment. In the 

 first attempt, a stick that had been put by for the 

 thatcher, but which he had not yet split, was cut short 

 and sharpened for the plug that prevents the animal 

 carrying away the wire when snared. This is driven 

 into tlie earth ; at the projecting end a notch was cut 

 to hold the string attached to the end of the wire away 

 from the run. 



A smaller stick supported the wire above the 

 ground ; this latter only just sufficiently thrust 

 into the sward to stand firmly upright. Willow 

 was used for this at first ; but it is a feeble wood : it 

 split too much, or bent and gave way instead of hold- 



