46 THE BOOK OF THE OPEN AIR 



downs stretch to a craggy ridge that escaped lying out on the occasion when 



had the harvest moon above it. The they journeyed to a distant valley and 



line they took led straight for home, but feasted on the beechmast with which 



half-way over the heathery waste they a gale had strewed the ground. That, 



turned aside in search of food, and on however, was a mere accident. Indeed, 



reaching the top fell again to forag- it was the fear of being belated that in- 



ing, their silvery-grey coats harmoniz- duced the badger to essay a short cut 



ing with the hoary boulders amongst where she wasted much time before she 



which they quested. Presently the could extricate herself from the maze 



badger called the cub to her and, de- of hollows in which she became involved, 



scending the abrupt slope, made for the She was glad to leave the bewildering 



cultivated land and so came to the farm place behind ; but the cub was so pleased 



over which they had so often roamed, with it, and especially with a sort of 



There was no sound from the homestead refuge in the midst of it, that he unhesi- 



as they stole by, and before a cock tatingly bent his steps thither when 



crowed they were near enough to the driven from the sett and forced to 



cliffs to catch the cries of the seafowl, seek a home for himself. It was not his 



astir in the grey dawn. Side by side mother who expelled him, but the sav- 



they climbed the boundary-wall and age old boar she had taken up with, who 



crossed the summit of the headland, would not allow the cub to sleep in the 



but on reaching the dizzy zigzag " earth " a single day after he was 



leading to the sett, the cub dropped established there, 



behind his mother and remained on the Late on a black December night he left 



heap after she had disappeared into the headland never to return. The loud 



the " earth." There he stood turning chatterings of the tyrant were yet ring- 



his head quickly from one to other ing in his ears as he crossed the boun- 



of the two islands whence came the dary wall, but the recollection of the 



clamour of the fowl, till presently, and delectable spot ahead cheeredjaim, and 



after a glance up the cliff, he too passed by the time he was over the ridge he 



out of sight. was more troubled about the direction 



Both were glad to be abed in the safe den he should follow than by the thought 



once more, and never again, whilst they of the brute he was fleeing from. On, 



remained together, did they sleep in any on he travelled, and, as luck would have 



other lair. It is true that they narrowly it, straight for his destination, which he 



