Redruff 



him only at the drum-log and the feeding- 

 ground, or perhaps the dusting-place, which is 

 the club-house of the grouse kind. 



When Brownie's little ones came out they 

 had filled her every thought, even to the for- 

 getting of their splendid father. But on the 

 third day, when they were strong enough, she 

 had taken them with her at the father's call. 



Some fathers take no interest in their little 

 ones, but Redruff joined at once to help 

 Brownie in the task of rearing the brood. They 

 had learned to eat and drink just as their father 

 had learned long ago, and could toddle along, 

 with their mother leading the way, while the 

 father ranged near by or followed far behind. 



The very next day, as they went from the 

 hill-side down toward the creek in a somewhat 

 drawn-out string, like beads with a big one 

 at each end, a red squirrel, peeping around a 

 pine-trunk, watched the procession of down- 

 lings with the Runtie straggling far in the 

 rear. Redruff, yards behind, preening his 

 feathers on a high log, had escaped the eye of 

 the squirrel, whose strange perverted thirst for 

 birdling blood was roused at what seemed so 



338 



