The silence of the highway, the soft wind, the alternate sunshine and shade as the light clouds passed over, induced a dreamy feeling; and I cannot say how long I had been there when something seemed as it were to cross the corners of my half-closed eyes.
Looking up I saw three stoats gallop across the road, not more than ten yards away.

They issued from under the footpath, which was raised and had a drain through it to relieve the road of flood-water in storm.

The drain was faced with a flat stone, with a small round hole cut in it.

Coming from the wheat at my back, the stoats went down into the ditch; thence entered the short tunnel under the footpath, and out at its stone portal, over the road to the broad sward on the opposite side; then along a furrow in the turf to the other hedge, and so into the beanfield.

They galloped like racehorses straining for the victory; the first leading, the second but a neck behind, and the third not half a length.