The Springfield Fox 



baby and bring it fresh-killed hens and game. 

 Again and again I saw her, although she came 

 now without awaiting the querulous cry of the 

 captive. 



The second night of the captivity I heard 

 the rattle of the chain, and then made out that 

 the old fox was there, hard at work digging a 

 hole by the little one's kennel. When it was 

 > Y ^^-v ^ ee P enou S n t0 half bury her, she gathered into 



V ,>Ns t> ?a\0 *' a ^ tne stack of the chain, and filled it again 



"•^^JS^'lvr W ^h earth. Then in triumph thinking she had 



? vf^" gotten rid of the chain, she seized little Tip by 



^&$$r the neck and turned to dash off up the wood- 



pile, but alas! only to have him jerked roughly 

 from her grasp. 



Poor little fellow, he whimpered sadly as he 

 crawled into his box. After half an hour there 

 was a great outcry among the dogs, and by their 

 straight-away tonguing through the far woods 

 I knew they were chasing Vix. Away up north 

 they went in the direction of the railway and 

 their noise faded from hearing. Next morning 

 the hound had not come back. We soon knew 

 why. Foxes long ago learned what a railroad 

 is ; they soon devised several ways of turning it 



220 



