Redruff %1 



The sun was hot now. There was an open 

 space to cross on the road to the water^ and, 

 after a careful lookout for enemies, the mother 

 gathered the little things under the shadow of 

 her spread fantail and kept off all danger ot 

 sunstroke until they reached the brier thicket 

 by the stream. 



Here a cottontail rabbit leaped out and gave 

 them a great scare. But the flag of truce he 

 carried behind was enough. He was an old 

 friend ; and among other things the little ones 

 learned that day that Bunny always sails under 

 a flag of truce, and lives up to it too. 



And then came the drink, the purest of liv» 

 ing water, though silly men had called it Mud 

 Creek. 



At first the little fellows didn't know how to 

 drink, but they copied their mother, and soon 

 learned to drink like her and give thanks after 

 every sip. There they stood in a row along the 

 edge, twelve little brown and golden balls 

 on twenty-four little pink-toed, in-turned feet, 

 with twelve sweet little golden heads gravely 

 bowing, drinking, and giving ihanks like their 

 mother. 



Then she led them by short stages, keeping 

 the cover, to the far side of the beaver-meadow, 

 where was a great, grassy dome. The mother 



