FORBIDDEN FROLICS 17 



his narrow bounds ; but night after night he 

 resisted the impulse. At last inaction became 

 unendurable. Regardless of his mother's 

 monitions and the whispers of instinct, he leapt 

 the rill and raced about the moonlit green 

 like a thing possessed. 



Instantly he was joined by his sister, and 

 never perhaps did two leverets enjoy their stolen 

 freedom more. They bounded over each other's 

 back ; they leapt the rock by the thorn, clearing 

 it by a good foot ; they galloped round and 

 round like performers in a circus. Tiring of 

 this, they rose on their hind legs and sparred 

 with their pads, moving about the fairy ring and 

 patting each other's face like boxers. But whilst 

 they were thus engaged the snapping of a brier 

 disturbed the night and sent them to their seats. 

 With wildly beating hearts they sat till the 

 clumsy badger who had trodden on the spray 

 passed out of hearing ; then out they came again 

 and renewed their frolics, which lasted without 

 further interruption till the moon began to 

 pale. 



Their mother found them in their seats looking 

 as innocent as could be ; but she knew of their 

 escapade from the scent on the green and, 

 recognising in this bid for liberty a token that 

 the time was come for leading them out, she 



