On Getting Acquainted 



every appearance of haste or nervousness. If he 

 vanishes after one keen look, be sure he is a 

 veteran that has seen men before, and bide still 

 where you are. The chances are ten to one that 

 no sooner does he think himself hidden than he 

 will turn to have another look .at you. It is 

 always in your favor, since you have the better 

 eyes, that an animal has the habit of concealment, 

 and so long as you pretend not to see him he is 

 very apt to think himself unseen. 



Such a method applies particularly well to all 

 members of the deer family, with their insatiable 

 curiosity; but it serves almost as well with beasts 

 of prey, which may be so surprised by meeting a 

 motionless man that they will often " point " him 

 in a way to suggest a setter pointing a woodcock. 

 We think of the fox, for example, as the most 

 cunning of animals; like the dolls' dressmaker in 

 Our Mutual Friend, he seems to be saying, "Oh, 

 I know your tricks and your manners"; yet on 

 a good tracking-snow I have trailed many foxes 

 to their day-beds, and have found that with few 

 exceptions they act in the same half-puzzled, half- 

 inquisitive way. And this is the fashion of it : 



Looking far ahead on the dainty trail you sud- 

 denly catch a glimpse of orange color, very warm 

 against the cold whiteness of the snow, which tells 

 you where Eleemos the sly one, as Simmo calls 



[185] 



