birch demanded, in stentorian voice, to 



know "Who? Who? Who in " 



Another fellow, way down the valley 

 responded that he "could!", that he had 

 a chip on his shoulder and that if any 

 blanked owl knocked it off he "Would 



Who? Who in are you anyhow?" 



Thus the belligerents fought their battle 

 at long range with language, like many 

 other pugilists. A rabbit, who in another 

 month would throw off his brown vest 

 and put on his white winter overcoat, 

 went loping past, stopping occasionally 

 to nip off a wintergreen leaf. These, and 

 other sounds indicating various activi- 

 ties of wood folk, continued to divert 

 attention while two hours passed. 



The "Yap, Yap," of a red fox sounded 

 down the brook. A few minutes later 

 his voice was heard again, nearer; pres- 

 ently he came into view. He was wad- 

 ing in the shallow water of the brook, 

 eyes intently fixed upon the water, fol- 



39 



