126 INCONVENIENCES 



he heard the muffled thud of approaching foot- 

 fall, and the next instant the form of Grey 

 Fox flashed by as he bounded down the hill 

 straight for the curlew-moor, whence the vixen 

 had called. 



Perhaps it was as well for the hare that a 

 vague fear, caused by the new element, had 

 kept him to the seat, for had Grey Fox and 

 his mate chanced on him before he was accus- 

 tomed to the snow, the countryside might have 

 known him no more. 



But staying within his snow-hut was not 

 without its drawbacks ; he had to suffer for 

 his inaction ; his fore legs ached ; his hind 

 legs were gripped by cramp ; even worse than 

 that was the itching of his ears, which he was 

 afraid to scratch for fear of bringing his house 

 down. 



Luckily these attacks came one at a time, 

 until the hour before sunset, when they fell 

 together and nearly drove him mad. The red 

 sun that had previously been such a comfort 

 to him, now seemed as if it would never go 

 down and set him free to stretch his limbs and 

 scratch his ears. But it sank at last, though 

 a bit of the rim still showed when he burst out 

 and made off like the wind. Beyond the chantry 

 he pulled up ; he would at last be rid of the 



