130 THE SITUATION CHANGES 



necks and listened ; an unusual sound had 

 alarmed them. It was only the noise made by 

 the snow that fell from the overladen branches, 

 and the instant they discovered the cause, 

 they resumed their romps, twisting and turning 

 like snakes and time after time leaping into 

 the air. The height they jumped was quite 

 surprising ; almost eerie was their speed as they 

 galloped over the snow. 



The hare watched them at their games with- 

 out serious alarm, he was almost interested in 

 their movements, when presently they fell to 

 **hide and seek," but the moment they gave over 

 playing and began searching the furrows for 

 mice he was in dread lest in their tunnellings 

 they should bump against and discover him. 

 Hence he kept an anxious look-out, and when 

 a long interval passed without a sign of them 

 he suffered agonies of fear. Even when they 

 did show, it was not much he saw, just their 

 heads, and that only for a moment or two. As 

 they approached, however, he could discern the 

 slight heave of the snow that attended their 

 progress. Presently up popped the head of the 

 nearest, within a few yards, and when it was 

 withdrawn up popped the head of the other in 

 the adjacent furrow, only to disappear again as 

 the two made their way towards the gate. The 



