THE TRUANTS BROUGHT HOME 9 



aways, instead of slinking off guilt-stricken, 

 rushed at the full speed of their ungainly 

 limbs to meet her, and tried by winning antics 

 to induce her to join in their midday romp. 

 Gladly as she would have complied, her response 

 was to drag them into cover, take the smaller 

 cub in her mouth, carry it to the nest, and 

 return for the ringleader, who squealed with 

 rage until soundly ducked in the pool below the 

 hover. The dark-pelted creature was a con- 

 spicuous object as she splashed across the exposed 

 spaces ; but, as good fortune would have it, both 

 she and the cubs escaped the observation of the 

 keeper who was occasionally to be seen on the 

 hills overlooking the morass. Still, the poor out- 

 law had been taught a sharp lesson, and resolved 

 never again on any pretext to leave the cubs by day. 

 So greatly was she perturbed by their escapade 

 that she even longed for the moment when fear 

 should awaken in them and whisper its monitions. 

 Meanwhile, she looked forward with impatience 

 to the night when they would be able to follow 

 her afield and learn the many lessons she was 

 anxious to teach them ; and in order to hasten 

 the time, she devoted every hour she could spare 

 to sharing their frolics, so that they might develop 

 rapidly. 



2 



