228 STUBBS THE BADGER 
o'clock when he came by the Larch Hill earth, and 
examined the marks outside. He saw Stubbs' broad 
spoor (Stubbs' spoor was a spoor to be wondered 
at two and a half inches in width), and he chuckled, 
for he had heard of Borrigan's ' baitin' ' and its 
sequel. Then he set to work with such right good- 
will that when Grunter wished to go out, an hour 
later, she found a firm barricade of earth and 
branches piled against the burrow's mouth. Grunter 
was very wary. The hated taint of man hung 
about the place, mingled with the smell of wet 
earth. What might not be lurking outside ? She 
crept back to the entrance to the fox's quarters, 
and picked her way delicately to Greybrush's 
back door, which was so small that it had even 
escaped the keen eye of Paddy Magragh. Then 
she buttoned down her stumpy tail, and waddled 
off truffle-hunting. 
The morning was grey and misty, with a cold 
nip in the air. Scent lay strong in covert every 
rabbit which hopped across the path left a trail 
which lingered on the wet leaves. The tits aloft in 
the bare branches chatted together in little splinters 
of song, and the woodpigeons squabbled over 
clusters of unripe ivy berries. It was as though 
the day was reluctant to come ; and at noon, save 
