104 THE FACE OF THE FIELDS 



hour. There could be no unusual risk in leaving 

 the farm for a little while in the early evening, 

 merely to go to the bean supper over at the 

 chapel at the Corner. So we were dressed and 

 ready to start, when I spied one of my hens out- 

 side the yard, trying to get in. 



Hurrying down, I caught her, and was turn- 

 ing back to the barn, when I heard a slow, faint 

 rustling among the bushes behind the hen-house. 

 I listened! Something was moving cautiously 

 through the dead leaves ! Tiptoeing softly around, 

 I surprised a large skunk making his way slowly 

 toward the hen-yard fence. 



I grabbed a stone and hurled it, jumping, as I 

 let it drive, for another. The flying missile hit 

 within an inch of the creature's nose, hard upon 

 a large flat rock over which he was crawling. The 

 impact was stunning, and before the old rascal 

 could get to his groggy feet, I had fallen upon 

 him — literally — and done for him. 



But I was very sorry. I hope that I shall never 

 get so excited as to fall upon another skunk, — 

 never ! 



I was picking myself up, when I caught a low 

 cry from the direction of the house — half scream, 



