the hen make the nest and no one saw her sitting on 

 it, for the sunshine was so bright everywhere else, 

 and the shade of the bush so dark that it was impossible 

 to see anything there ; but while we were at breakfast 

 Jock, who was bustling about everywhere as a puppy 

 will, must have scented the hen or have seen this 

 brown thing in the dark shady hole. 



The hen was sitting with her head sunk right down 

 into her chest, so that he could not see any head, 

 eyes or beak just a sort of brown lump. Suddenly 

 we saw Jock stand stock-still, cock up one ear, put 

 his head down and his nose out, hump up his shoulders 

 a bit and begin to walk very slowly forward in a crouch- 

 ing attitude. He lifted his feet so slowly and so softly 

 that you could count five between each step. We 

 were all greatly amused and thought he was pointing 

 a mouse or a locust, and we watched him. 



He crept up like a boy * showing off ' until he 

 was only six inches from the object, giving occasional 

 cautious glances back at us to attract attention. Just 

 as he got to the hole the hen let out a vicious peck on 

 the top of his nose and at the same time flapped over 

 his head, screaming and cackling for dear life. It was 

 all so sudden and so surprising that she was gone 

 before he could think of making a grab at her ; and 

 when he heard our shouts of laughter he looked as 

 foolish as if he understood all about it. 



