FRIENDS OR FOES? 187 



coast-line, the badger has his home ; and a fitting 

 one it is for him, suiting him admirably in all its 

 surroundings. Like himself, it has an ancient look. 

 The great blocks of chalk upheaved by the fall of 

 the trees are cracked and seamed by the frost and 

 rain, laced and interlaced by great limbs and roots, 

 held together by the creeping fibres of woodland 

 vegetation. 



One opening, under a chalk block some tons in 

 weight, is the entrance to his home and fortress. 

 At the edge of wild disorder a strip of the most 

 velvety green turf runs, dented here and there into 

 little chalky hollows. There, in the season, the tall 

 foxgloves rear their beautiful heads, and the moth- 

 mullein raises its spike of yellow flowers, which are 

 said to relieve sufferers from hay-fever when in their 

 vicinity. Now, however, the spot is bare, and looks 

 lonesome, for a sprinkling of snow has fallen. 

 Lonely and weird though it is, there is something 

 on the move, for a twig snaps under some foot, and 

 we hear the faint sound of feet. Very faint it is ; 

 in fact we can only detect it by placing our ear on 

 the ground. Presently a gleam of light shows ; it 

 comes from a lantern. It is the keeper and his 



