70 Redruff 



it but the one for whom it is meant, and booKS 

 know nothing at all about it. 



This great pine had an especial interest for 

 Redruff, now living near with his remaining 

 young one, but its base, not its far-away crown, 

 concerned him. All around were low, creep- 

 ing hemlocks, and among them the partridge- 

 vine and the wintergreen grew, and the sweet 

 black acorns could be scratched from under the 

 snow. There was no better feeding-ground, 

 for when that insatiable gunner came on them 

 there it was easy to run low among the hem- 

 lock to the great pine, then rise with a derisive 

 •whirr behind its bulk, and keeping the huge 

 trunk in line with the deadly gun, skim off in 

 safety. A dozen times at least the pine had 

 saved them during the lawful murder season, 

 and here it was that Cuddy, knowing their 

 feeding habits, laid a new trap. Under the 

 bank he sneaked and watched in ambush while 

 an accomplice went around the Sugar Loaf to 

 drive the birds. He came trampling through 

 the low thicket where Redruff and Graytail 

 were feeding, and long before the gunner was 

 dangerously near Redruff gave a low warning 

 'rrr-rrr' (danger) and walked quickly toward 

 the great pine in case they had to rise. 



Graytail was some distance up the hill, and 



