HARRY WRIGHT S SANDY RABBIT. 71 



came up to me, and said: " We'll give it up 

 now, and go home and have something to warm 

 us." We wanted something of that kind, for 

 it was a rime frost, and one of the coldest 

 nights I was ever out in. So we went home, 

 and thawed a bit before a big fire. We had 

 some hot coffee, bread and home cured bacon ; 

 and then father and Dick smoked their pipes, 

 and drank home brewed ale, whilst I dropped 

 off to sleep. 



About half-past three we started out again, 

 but, when we reached the hedge, the snares 

 were gone. Now, on the previous day, father 

 and I had been rabbiting with the nets, as he 

 had an order for three dozen live rabbits, which 

 we duly caught. When old Dick told us about 

 the snares, father took one of these rabbits 

 with him, having previously marked it so that 

 he would know it again. I was carrying this 

 rabbit when we started out first, and, by some 

 means or other, it got out of my pocket, and was 

 caught in one of the snares set in the hedge. We 

 had left it in the snare when we went home to 

 have a little refreshment, and, when we arrived 



