The Spring-field Fox 



of the moon saw the form of the mother at full 

 length on the ground by the little one, gnaw- 

 ing at something — the clank of iron told what, 

 it was that cruel chain. And Tip, the little 

 one, meanwhile was helping himself to a warm 

 drink. 



On my going out she fled into the dark 

 woods, but there by the shelter-box were two 

 *£?>■* '^"^%^> little mice, bloody and still warm, food for the 



i^8^^^p«* B ^ cub brought by the devoted mother. And in 



the morning I found the chain was very bright 

 for a foot or two next the little one's collar. 



On walking across the woods to the ruined 

 den, I again found signs of Vixen. The poor 

 heart-broken mother had come and dug out the 

 bedraggled bodies of her little ones. 



There lay the three little baby foxes 'all 

 licked smooth now, and by them were two of 

 our hens fresh killed. The newly heaved earth 

 was printed all over with tell-tale signs — signs 

 that told me that here by the side of her dead 

 she had watched like Rizpah. Here she had 

 brought their usual meal, the spoil of her night- 

 ly hunt. Here she had stretched herself be- 

 side them and vainly offered them their natural 



216 



