116 THE PINE-MARTEN AGAIN 



fortune his hind feet, striking blindly for support, 

 found foothold on a ledge. That saved him. 

 The mishap was the result of carelessness, and 

 afterwards, being cautious as to the place from 

 which he took off, he cleared the opening with 

 several inches to spare. 



But he was never free from fear. One 

 morning he had returned very early whilst the 

 stars were yet bright ; the cluster above the 

 headland sparkled like a diadem. Towards this 

 the eyes of the hare were directed, when one 

 of the constellation was suddenly shut out by 

 some dark object which was at first unrecognis- 

 able ; by and by it turned ; it was the pine- 

 marten. The creature went as suddenly as she 

 came, but soon reappeared on a narrow shelf 

 of the headland, where she stood looking down 

 at a chough some twelve feet below. Rapid in 

 decision, the marten dropped with the intention 

 of seizing and disabling the bird before it could 

 take wing. The chough, however, was too 

 quick and flew off, so the marten fell on the 

 rocks, and failing to get the grip for which she 

 strove frantically, tumbled head over heels into 

 the boiling sea forty feet below. The hare 

 thought that he had seen the last of this nimble 

 enemy. He was soon to be undeceived, for 

 presently to his surprise her mask, then her whole 



