Redruff 6l 



a broader shade, and never flinched at sight of 

 any foe, but held ready to fight or fly, which- 

 ever seemed the best for her little ones. 



Before the chicks could fly they had a meet, 

 ing with old Cuddy ; though it was June, he 

 was out with his gun. Up the third ravine he 

 went, and Tike, his dog, ranging ahead, came 

 so dangerously near the Brownie brood that 

 Redruff ran to meet him, and by the old but 

 never-failing trick led him on a foolish chase 

 away back down the valley of the Don. 



But Cuddy, as it chanced, came right along, 

 straight for the brood, and Brownie, giving 

 the signal to the children, * Krrr, krrr ' (Hide, 

 hide), ran to lead the man away just as her 

 mate had led the dog. Full of a mother's de- 

 voted love, and skilled in the learning of the 

 woods she ran in silence till quite near, then 

 sprang with a roar of wings right in his face, 

 and tumbling on the leaves she shammed a 

 lameness that for a moment deceived the 

 poacher. But when she dragged one wing 

 and whined about his feet, then slowly crawled 

 away, he knew just what it meant — that it was 

 all a trick to lead him from her brood, and he 

 struck at her a savage blow ; but little Brownie 

 was quick, she avoided the blow and limped 

 behind a sapling, there to beat herself upon 



