IX 



THE MINK 



In walking through the woods one day in 

 early winter, we read upon the newly fallen 

 snow the record of a mink's fright the night 

 before. The mink had been travelino- through 

 the woods post-haste, not along the watercourses 

 where one sees them by day, but over ridges 

 and across valleys. We followed his track some 

 distance to see what adventures he had met with. 

 We tracked him through a bushy swamp, and saw 

 where he had left it to explore a pile of rocks, 

 then where he had taken to the swamp again, 

 and where he had entered the more open woods. 

 Presently the track turned sharply about, and 

 doubled upon itself in long hurried strides. 

 What had caused the mink to change his mind 

 so suddenly ? We explored a few paces ahead, 

 and came upon a fox track. The mink had prob- 

 ably seen the fox stalking stealthily through the 

 woods, and the sight had doubtless brought his 

 heart into his mouth. I think he climbed a tree, 

 and waited till the fox had passed. His track 



