60 CRISS-CROSSES THE TRAIL 



each field she came to, in the hope of seeing 

 and being seen by the hare, who she knew 

 would be paralysed at the sight of her. She 

 never dreamt that the hare had already seen 

 her and was under the spell of her influence ; 

 though the knowledge could not have hastened 

 the pursuit, inasmuch as the kittens were 

 hurrying on as fast as their legs could carry 

 them. 



The distance that separated the hunters from 

 the quarry was not great. When they entered 

 the clover the leveret was only just leaving the 

 oats ; when they were crossing the barley stubble 

 he was still nibbling the turnips ; but he gained 

 after that. For while the polecats were busy 

 working out the tortuous line in the oats he 

 forged ahead and gained High Down, where he 

 busied himself in laying a most intricate maze. 

 He moved hither and thither criss-crossing the 

 trail incessantly, knowing that his life depended 

 on its intricacy. It was well that he was 

 thoroughly absorbed in his task, for had he 

 stopped and listened he could hardly have failed 

 to hear the shrill cry of his pursuers as they 

 bounded across the long meadow. On gaining 

 the hedge-top they stood scrutinising the rows 

 of turnips as if they expected to see the game 

 there ; and very odd they looked standing side 



