Pritchard darted in upon the rabbit, but Vatrin took it from him, and Michel slipped it into the lining of his coat. This pocket had already held a good many rabbits in its time!
Vatrin turned to congratulate Pritchard, but he had disappeared.
‘He’s off to find another rabbit,’ said Michel.
And accordingly, after ten minutes or so, we came upon Pritchard making another point. This time Vatrin had a stick ready cut; and after a minute, plunging his hands into a brier bush, he pulled out by the ears a second rabbit.
‘There, Michel,’ he said, ‘put that into your other pocket.’
‘Oh,’ said Michel, ‘there’s room for five more in this one.’
‘Hallo, Michel! people don’t say those things before a magistrate.’ And turning to Vatrin I added, ‘Let us try once more, Vatrin—the number three is approved by the gods.’
‘May be,’ said Vatrin, ‘but perhaps it won’t be approved by M. Guérin.’
M. Guérin was the police inspector.
Next time we came upon Pritchard pointing, Vatrin said, ‘I wonder how long he would stay like that;’ and he pulled out his watch.