Redruff 



straits, but this seemed the hardest brunt of all, 

 as the slow hours wore on and found him weak- 

 ening with his struggles, but no nearer to free- 

 dom. He could hear the struggling of his 

 family, too, or sometimes heard them calling to 

 him for help with their long-drawn plaintive 

 ' p-e-e-e-e-e-t-e, p-e-e-e-e-e-t-e. ' 



They were hidden from many of their ene- 

 mies, but not from the pangs of hunger, and 

 when the night came down the weary prison- 

 ers, worn out with hunger and useless toil, grew 

 quiet in despair. At first they had been afraid 

 the fox would come and find them imprisoned 

 there at his mercy, but as the second night 

 went slowly by they no longer cared, and even 

 wished he would come and break the crusted 

 snow, and so give them at least a fighting 

 chance for life. 



But when the fox really did come padding 

 over the frozen drift, the deep-laid love of life 

 revived, and they crouched in utter stillness 

 till he passed. The second day was one of 

 driving storm. The north wind sent his snow- 

 horses, hissing and careering over the white 

 earth, tossing and curling their white manes 



343 





