THE MAJOR, THE PARSON, AND HUMPHRIES. 313 



holes; they are worthless except for the ferrets. 

 I might have a man to help me kill the rabbits, 

 but he strongly insisted that I was not to trap 

 them, and, if I snared them, I was to tie a 

 knot in every snare ; this was for the benefit 

 of the foxes, so that if a fox got his foot in a 

 snare he could draw it out again. I might 

 snare, net, ferret, or shoot the rabbits, but I 

 was not to trap them. 



To resume ; Mr. Fowle came down to the 

 stables with me, to inspect the contents of 

 the horse and cart, and there he saw Hum- 

 phries and asked him what he wanted. 



" He has come over, sir, to ask you to let 

 him kill the rabbits, as I cannot do so," said I. 



" He won't get that job, I can assure him," 

 said Mr. Fowle, in his pleasant way. 



" Well, sir," said I, " I thought there would 

 be no harm in his walking over with me, and 

 then, if you objected to him or wouldn't give 

 him the refusal, he could but walk back with 

 me to-night," 



" You are not going back to-night, Wilkins, 

 I can tell you," said Mr. Fowle. " I want you 



