io6 ^'^ssy^'^s 



enemy appears. Y&t one day when a greac 

 goshawk came swooping over the Swamp, the 

 stranger, keeping well under cover himself, 

 tried again and again to drive Rag into the 

 open. 



Once or twice the hawk nearly had him, but 

 still the briers saved him, and it was only when 

 the big buck himself came near being caught 

 that he gave it up. And again Rag escaped, 

 but was no better off. He made up his mind 

 to leave, with his mother, if possible, next night 

 and go into the world in quest of some new 

 home when he heard old Thunder, the hound, 

 sniffing and searching about the outskirts of 

 the swamp, and he resolved on playing a des- 

 perate game. He deliberately crossed the 

 hound's view, and the chase that then began 

 was fast and furious. Thrice around the 

 Swamp they went till Rag had made sure that 

 his mother was hidden safely and that his 

 hated foe was in his usual nest. Then right 

 into that nest and plump over him he jumped, 

 giving him a rap with one hind foot as he 

 passed over his head. 



" You miserable fool, I kill you yet," cried 

 the stranger, and up he jumped only to find 

 himself between Rag and the dog and heir to 

 nil the peril of the chase. 



