THE STOATS AT A LOSS 175 



suddenly ended. In a twinkling the rest of 

 the band followed, and recognising the situa- 

 tion, looked to the leader for guidance. 



No time was lost. Some went to the end of 

 the track and stood gazing at the depths below, 

 but the greater number followed the leader over 

 the brink of the precipice, abreast of the ledge. 

 The daring creatures seemed to be courting 

 destruction in attempting the descent ; their claw- 

 grip and marvellous agility, however, took them 

 safely down places that might have been thought 

 to deny foothold, and all reached the undercliff 

 without mishap. Now they stood at the edge of 

 the tide, where from every point of vantage, 

 even from the crown of the streaming rocks, 

 they scanned the white water, appearing to 

 imagine that the hare had leapt into the surf 

 and was to be seen there if only their eyes 

 could detect her. Nothing met their gaze 

 except a splintered bowsprit, and by and by, after 

 extending their search beyond the point, they 

 climbed the cliff again, rejoining the others 

 where they stood beneath the ledge. 



The situation of the starving creatures was 

 a desperate one, and for a moment the leader 

 was as completely at a loss what to do as the 

 rest of the pack. Suddenly it occurred to her 

 that the hare might have returned on his 



