Vixen 129 



tace had watched out of the corner of his eye 

 and now came running back. But Vixen took 

 the chuck in her jaws and made for the den, so 

 he saw he wasn't needed. 



Back to the den came Vix, and carried the 

 chuck so carefully that he was able to struggle- 

 a little when she got there. A low ' woof* at 

 the den brought the little fellows out like school- 

 boys to play. She threw the wounded animal 

 to them and they set on him like four little 

 furies, uttering little growls and biting little 

 bites with all the strength of their baby jaws, 

 but the woodchuck fought for his life and beat- 

 ing them off slowly hobbled to the shelter of a 

 thicket. The little ones pursued like a pack of 

 hounds and dragged at his tail and flanks, but 

 could not hold him back. So Vix overtook 

 him with a couple of bounds and dragged him. 

 again into the open for the children to worry. 

 Again and again this rough sport went on till 

 one of the little ones was badly bitten, and his 

 squeal of pain roused Vix to end the wood- 

 chuck's misery and serve him up at once. 



Not far from the den was a hollow overgrown 

 with coarse grass, the playground of a colony 

 of field-mice. The earliest lesson in woodcraft 

 that the little ones took, away from the den, 

 was in this hollow. Here they had their first 



