A Day's Sport David, who came to do some decorating
for us, is an enthusiast where ferrets are con- cerned. His great delight is to go rabbiting, and when he does, time stands still, as it does with me when I go fishing. He forgets his mid-day meal and thinks only of his sport. For some time he had talked to me of the great longing he had to ferret a warren at a farm up the valley, and I agreed to take him one day. That day arrived sooner than I had expected. David came with his gear, nets, spade and a brace of ferrets. He could have brought a,third, he said, but two would do. I couldn't refuse in the face of such enthusiasm, and off we went to the distant farm. It was comfortable while we were in the brake, but out across the hill it was cold, and a fine rain and drifting mist made me wonder how I had been persuaded to set out. As I-had feared, not a rabbit moved. The first ferret blocked and the second had to be brought 'out. The morning wore into afternoon and the rain slowly permeated my old hat. David plodded from one warren to the next and I followed feeling like a deep-sea diver with such a weight of soil clinging to my boots. I was thankful when my companion had had enough and called it a day.
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