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 

 * 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 



