The Springfield Fox 



HE hens had been mysteriously disap- 

 pearing for over a month ; and when 

 I came home to Springfield for the 

 summer holidays it was my duty to 

 find the cause. This was soon done. 

 The fowls were carried away bodily 

 one at a time, before going to roost 

 or else after leaving, which put tramps and 

 neighbors out of court ; they were not taken 

 from the high perches, which cleared all coons 

 and owls ; or left partly eaten, so that weasels, 

 skunks, or minks were not the guilty ones, and 

 the blame, therefore, was surely left at Rey- 

 nard's door. 



The great pine wood of Erindale was on the 

 other bank of the river, and on looking care- 



187 



