STUBBS THE BADGER 205 
main badger path, and crossed the lane which runs 
across Knockdane, slithering down a five-foot drop 
which is scored in every direction by deep claw- 
prints, and entered the Big Meadow together. The 
cattle slept in the dewy grass, and, stealing in among 
them, the badgers hunted every inch of ground 
for beetles. Every now and then a ' bum-clock ' 
boomed overhead, and then fell ' splotch ' to earth. 
Small chance had it when the badgers' noses probed 
for it in the grass : but Grunter took the lion's 
share, for in the wood there is a law that, during the 
days of courtship, the female may take what she 
will and her mate shall not gainsay her. 
Henceforward they hunted together night after 
night. Sometimes they sought for partridges' eggs 
eggs are a badger tit-bit, when he can find them, 
which is not often and these went down, shell and 
all, ' crunch-squolch.' Sometimes they beat a way 
through the standing meadow grass, leaving a 
track behind which two days' sun would not eradi- 
cate, or searched for wasps' nests in the hedge- 
banks. These were honeymoon nights, and, sweet 
though they were, they could not last for ever. 
It was the weather which first stimu- 
lated the pair to find a permanent 
' set.' It was showery, with now 
a cool wet evening which made 
