THE HEDGEHOG 



that he takes no notice of the rabbit signals 

 which are being given all round him, though, 

 usually, he is most sensitive to vibrations of 

 the ground. White tails bob past as the rabbits 

 flee to their homes, just shadowy shapes in 

 the dusk racing for their holes. Something 

 has evidently frightened them, but still the 

 hedgehog goes on eating. At last he too catches 

 the alarm, his spines rise along his back as 

 he hears and feels the regular thump thump 

 of a heavy-footed man coming near. It is the 

 gamekeeper going home late. It is so dark 

 that he nearly passes the hedgehog, but, 

 catching a glimpse of something black in the 

 grass, stops, strikes a match, and as the flame 

 leaps up sees at his feet that ball of prickles, 

 which a moment ago was a slim smooth animal. 

 The hedgehog is on the top of the rabbit, which 

 is partly eaten, so of course the keeper, who 

 does not notice the rabbit has been dead for 

 days, concludes the urchin must have killed it. 

 Exclaiming, ' Drat these urchins ! ' he deals 

 the poor hedgehog a blow with his stick. 

 Not even prickly armour is any good against 

 a heavy stick, his ' wait and see ' attitude is 

 this time fatal to the little animal, and 

 next morning his body is swinging with crows, 



221 



