THE BEECH WOODS 



ume decreased, the great hum died 

 down, and presently the wonderful sil- 

 ence of the woods was asjain unbroken, 

 except for the occasional rustle of an 

 insect falling through the leaves. 



The Neighbour wandered on to the 

 home of the screech-owl, at a turn in 

 the path where, in a beech stub, the 

 pair of night watchers had their nest. 

 A plaintive note came from near the 

 home tree, and presently the soft whirr 

 of passing wings and the vicious snap 

 of a powerful beak uncomfortably near 

 his ear told the Neighbour the little 

 owl was not to be trifled with in his 

 own domain. All that was to be seen 

 or heard in the darkness was a dull 

 flash, a whirr and a sharp snap, as the 

 owl repeatedly dived at the intruder. 

 To say the least, the suddenness and 

 uncertainty of attack would be most 

 disconcerting to any night marauder 

 seeking its young or even wandering 

 near the old beech stub. 



Out of the ferns at the edge of the 



path there came a sudden flash of white 



and the soft patter of many padded feet 



went down a trail to the left. It was a 



114 



