MOORLAND IDYLLS. 



as mice and waited. Presently, to my 

 great and unexpected joy, a sound as of 

 life ! a rustling among the bilberry. bushes ! 

 One sharp brown head, and then another, 

 with beady black eyes as keen as a 

 beagle's, peeped forth from the miniature 

 jungle of brake and cross-leaved heath in 

 the bank beside us. I raised my lids, and 

 looked mutely at the Editor. He followed 

 my glance, and saw the tiny lithe creatures 

 glide slowly from their covert, and crawl 

 with heads held slyly on one side, and then 

 on the other, into the open patch, on which 

 we lay like statues. How they listened and 

 looked ! How they raised their quaint small 

 heads, on the alert against the first faint 

 breath of danger ! I sat still as a mouse 

 again, holding my breath in suspense, and 

 waiting anxiously for developments. Then 

 a miracle happened. Miracles do happen 

 now and again, as once at Bolsena, to con- 

 vince the sceptical. My hand lay motionless 

 on the ground at my side. I would not have 

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