THE POLECAT 



81 



moon was bright and he could see the move- 

 ments of the little animals in the wood. 



One night an incautious rabbit ventured into 

 the trap. Before he had pushed back far 

 enough to spring the door, a polecat cau- 

 tiously peered around the corner, and see- 

 ing that Bunny was inside, followed him in. 

 The terrified rabbit backed into the farthest 

 corner and the trigger was sprung; rabbit and 

 skunk were caught together. Bunny's escape 

 was now impossible, and the polecat was only 

 intent upon his dinner. When the boy came to 

 the trap the following morning he received 

 quite a surprise; a dead and partly eaten rab- 

 bit and a pole- 

 cat very much 

 alive. Back to 

 the house he 

 went as fast as 

 his little legs 

 would carry 

 him and burst 

 in upon his 

 father with 

 great excite- 

 ment. The Na- 

 turalist, how- 



If he approached too near, one would stamp a front foot 



threateningly, arching the back and throwing 



the tail forward over the body. 



