Redruff 59 



When Brownie's little ones came out they 

 had filled her every thought, even to the for- 

 getting of their splendid father. But on the 

 third day, when they were strong enough, she 

 had taken them with her at the father's call. 



Some fathers take no interest in their lit- 

 tle ones, but RedrufE joined at once to help 

 Brownie in the task of rearing the brood. 

 They had learned to eat and drink just as 

 their father had learned long ago, and could 

 toddle along, with their mother leading the 

 way, while the father ranged near by or fol- 

 lowed far behind. 



The very next day, as they went from the 

 hill-side down toward the creek in a somewhat 

 drawn-out string, like beads with a big one at 

 each end, a red squirrel, peeping around a 

 pine-trunk, watched the processing of down- 

 lings with the Runtie straggling far in the 

 rear. Redruff, yards behind, preening his 

 feathers on a high log, had escaped the eye of 

 the squirrel, whose strange, perverted thirst 

 for birdling blood was roused at what seemed 

 so fair a chance. With murderous intent to 

 cut off the hindmost straggler, he made a dash. 

 Brownie could not have seen him until too late, 

 but Redruff did. He flew for that red-haired 

 cutthroat ; his weapons were his fists, that is. 



