would only follow me under the floors at midnight, not to speak of taking
the live Rats out of the traps in the dark; but I can assure you that
none of these gentlemen would venture to undertake the task.

Now, if any of these gentlemen had to do this a few times they would not
refuse to pay the Rat-catcher the sum he asks, viz., 8s. per night.

I remember more than once in big places such as bonding warehouses, when
I have been under the floors, my candle or lamp has gone out through
being knocked over with grabbing at Rats, and I have not had a match in
my pocket, and have had to grope about in the dark trying to find the
trap-door where I have got under the floors, more often than not putting
my hand in a set trap. It would be of no use shouting for a light simply
because I have been alone. It is always better for a Rat-catcher to have
assistance for night work, but I have done it myself very often.

Now, the expenses of travelling come very heavy sometimes, for wherever
the Rat-catcher goes he always has to pay railway fare for himself and
his dog.

Another thing I must tell you. Often when I have gone to inspect a small
building I have found that there were a great many Rats in, but I have
also known, after inspecting the place, that they have all come from the
one place, out of the drain. Well, if I have contracted to do this job
for a lump sum, I could easily clear this place and not catch an odd Rat,
simply by ferreting them all back into the sewer in the daytime, and then
making it good; but in most of these cases they do not like to pay your
bill because you have caught no Rats. Still, you have driven them all
down the drains, and after making the drain good they cannot get back
again into the building.

Now, in a case like this I always trap them two or three nights and catch
a few, just to give satisfaction to those engaging me.

Sometimes gentlemen will write inviting me to meet them at a certain
farm, and bring my ferrets and a good supply of nets, alleging that there
are "hundreds of Rats in the stacks." I just relate this to indicate how
anyone not regularly amongst Rats can easily be deceived as to their
numbers, for a couple of Rats on the thatch of a stack, especially when
they have young ones, will probably have twelve holes eaten in the thatch
and underneath the stack, and anyone not understanding their habits would
think there were a lot of Rats in it.

And it is much the same with work