A LIFE OF FEAR 139 



him with your foot or your cane. He appears to 

 have no enemies ; but the little spotted water tur- 

 tle is as shy as if he were the delicate tidbit that 

 every creature was searching for. I did once 

 find one which a fox had dug out of the mud in 

 winter, and carried a few rods and dropped on the 

 snow, as if he had found he had no use for it. 



One can understand the fearlessness of the 

 skunk. Nearly every creature but the farm-dog 

 yields to him the right of way. All dread his 

 terrible weapon. If you meet one in your walk 

 in the twilight fields, the chances are that you 

 will turn out for him, not he for you. He may 

 even pursue you, just for the fun of seeing you 

 run. He comes waltzing toward you, apparently 

 in the most hilarious spirits. 



The coon is probably the most courageous 

 creature among our familiar wild animals. Who 

 ever saw a coon show the white feather ? He 

 will face any odds with perfect composure. I 

 have seen a coon upon the ground, beset by four 

 men and two dogs, and never for a moment los- 

 ing his presence of mind, or showing a sign of 

 fear. The raccoon is clear grit. 



The fox is a very wild and suspicious creature, 

 but curiously enough, when you suddenly come 

 face to face with him, when he is held by a trap, 

 or driven by the hound, his expression is not that 



