A SILENT NIGHT 25 



So, on leaving the clover, she made in the 

 direction of the moorland pool to which her 

 mother had led her when young, where, owing 

 to the absence of all but the scantiest cover, 

 no enemy could approach unobserved. Annoyed 

 at having to leave the clover, the leverets 

 followed with reluctance, till presently the still- 

 ness was broken by the music of running water. 

 At the sound the jack pricked his ears as though 

 he recognised a familiar voice. It was indeed 

 the rill, but swollen now by tributary runnels 

 into a little stream three feet wide at the 

 shallows where the hares crossed. On the bridle- 

 path leading to the hamlet of Crowz-an-Wra 

 the leverets raced up and down, whilst the 

 hare sat on the turfy border by an old cross 

 and watched them. In the profound silence 

 the beating of their pads on the hard surface 

 was loud enough to mask the approach of a 

 stealthy enemy ; of this the leverets seemed 

 fully conscious, for they stood motionless at 

 short intervals and listened. 



Time after time the only sound that filled 

 the pause was the subdued but solemn roar of 

 the sea about the cliffs of the Land's End. 

 Presently, however, there broke upon it an 

 ominous *' patter, patter, patter." In an instant 

 the timorous creatures were flying. Near a 



c 2 



