AN EMERGENCY RETREAT 143 



skirted the pigsty, the poultry-houses and the 

 open shed, with the intention of crossing the 

 wall to the turf-rick which she had noticed from 

 the roof. She reached the wall and was about 

 to climb it when the latch of the kitchen door 

 lifted. At the sound she abandoned her pur- 

 pose, and that very unwisely, because she was 

 in quite as much danger of being seen as if she 

 had crossed the wall. For where was she to 

 hide ? There was the open shed, it is true, but 

 she could hardly hope to gain it before the man 

 reached the yard. ''Crunch, crunch, crunch," 

 sounded the snow under his feet ; he was already 

 close to the gate, discovery was imminent. In 

 desperation, the bewildered creature dived into 

 a hole in the snow made by a hoof of one of 

 the yearlings. Even then her tail was exposed 

 for some seconds before she succeeded in worm- 

 ing a way out of sight, but it did not catch 

 the eye of the man, and for the time at least 

 she was safe. 



The hare, who had observed every movement 

 of the polecat, kept a close watch on the spot, for 

 he greatly feared that the creature would cross 

 the wall at the first opportunity and perhaps 

 discover him. 



Meanwhile the hind busied himself about his 

 ordinary duties until near noon, when he began 



