i/ixen 121 



strucic a hot scent and went off on a lively 

 straight-away till his voice was lost in the dis- 

 tance away over the upland. 



After nearly an hour he came back, panting 

 and warm, for it was baking August weather, 

 and lay down at my feet. 



But almost immediately the same foxy * Yap 

 yurrr' was heard close at hand and off dashed 

 the dog on another chase. 



Away he went in the darkness, baying like a 

 foghorn, straight away to the north. And the 

 loud * Boo^ boOy became a low * oo, oo* and that a 

 feeble * o-o ' and then was lost. They must have 

 gone some miles away, for even with ear to the 

 ground I heard nothing of them, though a mile 

 was easy distance for Ranger's brazen voice. 



As I waited in the black woods I heard a 

 sweet sound of dripping water: *Tink tank tenk 

 tinky Ta tink tank tenk tonk* 



I did not know of any spring so near, and in 

 the hot night it was a glad find. But the sound 

 led me to the bough of an oak-tree, where I 

 found its source. Such a soft, sweet song; fuU 

 of delightful suggestion on such a night: 



Tank tank tenk tink 

 Ta tink a tank a tank a tink a 

 Ta ta tink tank ta ta tonk tink 

 Drink a tank a drink a drunk. 



