FOXES AND OTHER NEIGHBORS 247 



again, and began working busily up toward the 

 woods. 



Then, no less to her master's astonishment than 

 to her own, what was to all appearances the same 

 big fox sprang once more from the edge of the 

 timber, directly into her path, and led her off a 

 second time on a wild chase. Mr. Gibson, investi- 

 gating the original trail, found it continued into the 

 woods, with only the three paws treading. No one 

 could say, of course, that the big fox which twice 

 put itself in the dog's way and led it off the trail of 

 this injured animal was the cripple's mate; but 

 there was every indication that he was, at any 

 rate, deliberately inviting two contests of speed and 

 skill with the best dog in the neighborhood in 

 order to protect another, weaker member of his 

 kind and give it time to get to a den. Not 

 only had he led the dog astray the first time, but 

 he had either anticipated the dog's return to the 

 original trail or had actually followed her back to 

 be ready for emergencies. From such intelligence 

 and devotion as this it is impossible to withhold 

 one's undiluted admiration. 



Over on the mountain, across the swamp from the 

 ridge where the foxes den, is a reservoir, high up 

 in the woods, and here wildcat tracks are seen 

 every winter and once in a while one of the beasts, 

 crouching, perhaps, on a log fallen out into the 

 water, watching for fish. But only the craftiest 

 hunter is thus rewarded, for the wildcat, or bobcat 

 {Lynx ruff us), is as shy an animal as remains in our 

 Eastern forests, in spite of the fact that he is the 

 fiercest and most formidable. The full-grown cat 



