Redruff 



shoes on the omnipresent snow, that betrayed 

 them to Cuddy ? He came prowling again and 

 again up the ravine, with dog and gun, intent 

 to hunt the partridges down. They knew him 

 of old, and he was coming now to know them 

 well. That great copper-ruffed cock was be- 

 coming famous up and down the valley. Dur- 

 ing the Gunner Moon many a one had tried to 

 end his splendid life, just as a worthless wretch 

 of old sought fame by burning the Ephesian 

 wonder of the world. But Redruff was deep 

 in woodcraft. He knew just where to hide, 

 and when to rise on silent wing, and when to 

 squat till overstepped, then rise on thunder 

 wing within a yard to shield himself at once 

 behind some mighty tree-trunk and speed away. 



But Cuddy never ceased to follow with his 

 gun that red-ruffed cock ; many a long snapshot 

 he tried, but somehow always found a tree, a 

 bank, or some safe shield between, and Redruff 

 lived and throve and drummed. 



When the Snow Moon came he moved with 

 Graytail to the Castle Frank woods, where food 

 was plenty as well as grand old trees. There 

 was in particular, on the east slope among the 



35* 



