-looking animal, with sharp nose and pink eyes, one
which writhed about almost like an eel.

"Why, it's your old one, Magg, that you had in the hedge that day."

"Nay, not it. It's something like it, but this is an ever so much
better one. Why, don't you recollect? That one used to get in the
holes and wouldn't come out again for hours and hours."

"Oh yes, I recollect, and how cold it was. This is it."

"Why, don't I keep telling of you it ain't. This is a hever so much
better one as I've got to sell for a chap for five shillin': but if you
don't want to buy it, you needn't keep finding fault with it. I dessay
Mr Big Burr will buy it. It's a beauty--ain't yer?"

"But I do want to buy it," said Mercer, watching the man as he stroked
and caressed the thin creature, "but I haven't got any money to spare."

"That don't matter. If you like to buy the ferret, I dessay the chap'll
wait and take a shillin' one time and a shillin' another, till it's all
paid off."

"Oh," cried Mercer, "if he'll sell it like that I'll have it; but you're
sure it's not your old one?"

"Sartain as sartain. That's a ferret as'll do anybody credit."

"But will it hunt rabbits up into holes, and stop sucking their blood?"

"Oh, I don't know nothing about rabbids," said Magglin. "It won't do so
with me; 'tis yours then."

"Will it bite?" I asked.

"Rats, sir. You try him, he's as tame as a kitten. But I must get back
to my work. Where'll you have it?"

"I want it up in my box--the old corn-bin up in the loft, Magg. Will
you take it and put it in if I give you the key?"

"Course I will, sir."

"And bring me back the key?"

"Course I will, sir."

"I don't like to take it myself, because one of the fellows might see
me, and they'd want to know what I'd got."

"All right, sir, I'll take it; and am I to put it in the box?"

"No. I forgot. It would eat the skins and things."

"That he would and no mistake," said Magglin, grinning hugely. "Shall I
leave him in the can? There is a stone in the spout so as he can't
squeeze his way out, for he'll go through any hole a'most."

"Yes; put it right up in the dark corner at the far end."

"Right, sir. And you owe me five shillin'."

"No, it's to your friend."

"All the same, sir. Thank-ye."

"I'm afraid he has cheated me," said Mercer thoughtfully, as we walked
away. "Now I come to recollect, his old ferret had a bit nipped out of
the top of its little ear like th