I ::8 Vixen 







could no lon^^er spend time in breaking every 

 track to the den, and was not always at hand 

 to meet and mislead the foes that might be 



coming too near. 



The end is easily foreseen. Ranger touOwed 

 a hot trail to the den, and Spot, the fox-terrier, 

 announced that the family was at home, and 

 then did his best to go in after them. 



The whole secret was now out, and the whole 

 famil}' doomed. The hired man came around 

 with pick and shovel to dig them out, while we 

 and the dogs stood by. Old Vix soon showed 

 herself in the near woods, and led the dogs 

 away off down the river, where she shook them 

 off when she thought proper, by the simple 

 device of springing on a sheep's back. The 

 frigfhtened animal ran for several hundred 

 yards; then Vix got off, knowing that there was 

 now a hopeless gap in the scent, and returned 

 to the den. But the dogs, baffled by the break 

 in the trail, soon did the same, to find Vix 

 hanging about in despair, vainly trying to de- 

 coy us away from her treasures. 



Meanwhile Paddy plied both pick and shove! 

 with vigor and effect. The yellow, gravelly 

 sand was heaping on both sides, and the shoul- 

 ders of the sturdy digger were sinking below 

 the level. After an hour's digging, enlivened 



