Bannertail 



fight, but his position was much like that 

 of a grown man who is assailed by a black- 

 guard boy. There is no glory in the fight, 

 if it comes to that. There is much un- 

 pleasant publicity, and the man usually 

 decides that it is better to ignore the in- 

 sult and retreat. This was Bannertail's 

 position exactly. He hated a row — 

 most wild things do — it brings them into 

 notice of the very creatures they wish to 

 avoid. Besides, the Redsquirrel was not 

 without some justification, for these were 

 his pine-trees by right of long possession. 

 Bannertail, without touch of violence 

 or fear of it, yielded to the inward im- 

 pulses, yielded and retreated, closely pur- 

 sued by the Redsquirrel, who kept just 

 / out of reach, but worked himself up into 

 a still noisier rage as he saw the invader 

 ^^svmv^ J//, draw off. It was characteristic of the 



Red One that he did not stop at the bor- 

 der of his own range but followed right 



[68] 



«&K>^1505. 



