The Springfield Fox 



in the middle of the open glade. The saucy 

 low-minded squirrel came and scolded as usual. 

 But she moved no hair. He came nearer and 

 at last right overhead to chatter : 



(sp.'* '"*^3 i$' v p > 



" You brute you, you brute you." /fH"-: : ^y i ,\) "" 



But Vix' lay as dead. This was very per- <s *pr f$~W f $' „'/ 



plexing, so the squirrel came down the trunk ^^iMy ^f f /<-. tf 



and peeping about made a nervous dash across 'ti f I /S^ 



the grass, to another tree, again to scold from ^' > ir 

 a safe perch. 



"You brute you, you useless brute, scarrr- 



scarrrrr." 



But fiat and lifeless on the grass lay Vix. 

 This was most tantalizing to the squirrel. He 

 was naturally curious and disposed to be venture- 

 some, so again he came to the ground and skur- 

 ried across the glade nearer than before. 



Still as death lay Vix, " surely she was dead. ' ' 

 And the little foxes began to wonder if their 

 mother wasn't asleep. 



But the squirrel was working himself into 

 a little craze of foolhardy curiosity. He had 

 dropped a piece of bark on Vix's head, he had 

 used up his list of bad words and he had done 

 it all over again, without getting a sign of life. 



205 



