WILY^S STORY 15 



"'Twas a 'nation pity," added one of them, "we 

 hadn't brought my Httle terrier, Viek ; she would 

 have fetched 'em out ahve in her mouth, without 

 our having the trouble of digging, though they was 

 as big as the old 'un." 



" Mind," said the other, " we beant seen, or else 

 the squire will gie us notice to keep off." 



Their intentions were defeated ; for our mother, 

 who had been all the time watching their goings 

 on, anxiously waited for their departure, and no 

 sooner had night set in than she again removed us 

 to a gorse-covert hard by, and placed us in a nicely- 

 sheltered spot, where she herself had often lain 

 before. Here we were safe from poaching kid- 

 nappers, as it would have been impossible for them 

 to find us without being found out themselves 

 whilst searching for us. Let every mother lay up 

 her cubs in gorse, or close and thick coverts, rather 

 than in large earths, which are sure to be well 

 known to the fox-taker. We were now three 

 months old, and hving upon young rabbits and 

 mice, with which such coverts abound, feeding 

 also upon other food, such as black beetles ; 

 rabbits, however, were our favourite food, 

 and if we could find them, we cared for httle 

 else. They are fruitful breeders, particularly 



