138 CRITICAL MOMENTS 



a rack in the midst of the yard. After all, it 

 did not seem a great thing to do. He had 

 but to slip from the wall, steal a dozen yards 

 or so over the snow, then the fodder would be 

 his for the taking. Yet he could not do it ; 

 his wild nature restrained him. Once indeed 

 he half rose, only, however, to settle down again 

 and watch the yearlings empty the rack, which 

 the man removed on returning from his dinner. 

 As he carried it he chanced to look towards 

 the hare, who, ever suspicious, feared that he 

 was discovered. It was quite a critical moment 

 to the wildling ; had the man's eyes met his, 

 had the man only stopped whilst gazing in his 

 direction, he would have made off: luckily, 

 neither event befell, so that the hare, who had 

 gathered himself ready to spring, relaxed his 

 muscles and remained. The incident, however, 

 left him somewhat disquieted, till a wren 

 foraging in the elder diverted his thoughts ; 

 then he became composed and followed the move- 

 ments of the man with the same unconcern as 

 before. 



Yet, fearful as he was of man's gaze, he was 

 able to disreo^ard sounds that would have made 

 fox, marten, and stoat cower and slink to cover ; 

 he was quite unmoved by the shrill voice of the 

 farmer's wife when she called after her husband. 



