Vixen 131 



into the mouse with a rush of inborn savage- 

 ness that must have surprised even himself. 



Another home lesson was on the red-squir- 

 rel. One of these noisy, vulgar creatures, lived 

 close by and used to waste part of each day 

 scolding the foxes, from some safe perch. The 

 cubs made many vain attempts to catch him as 

 he ran across their glade from one tree to an- 

 other, or spluttered and scolded at them a foot 

 or so out of reach. But old Vixen was up in 

 natural history — she knew squirrel nature and 

 took the case in hand when the proper time 

 came. She hid the children and lay down flat 

 in the middle of the open glade. The saucy 

 low-minded squirrel came and scolded as usual. 

 But she moved no hair. He came nearer and 

 at last right overhead to chatter : 



" You brute you, you brute you." 



But Vix lay as dead. This was very per. 

 plexing, so the squirrel came down the trunk 

 and peeping about made a nervous dash across 

 the grass, to another tree, again to scold from 

 a safe perch. 



" You brute you, you useless brute, scarrr- 

 scarrrrr." 



But flat and lifeless on the grass lay Vix. 

 This was most tantalizing to the squirrel. He 

 was naturally curious and disposed to be vent- 



