RED SLAYER AND THE TERROR 255 
rabbit track, and followed it greedily but craftily, 
coming at last within striking distance of his 
prey, a big European hare, crouched beneath a 
snow-laden young hemlock. 'This hare was too 
speedy for him to overhaul in a chase, of course, 
and he was debating whether it was not also too 
large for him to attempt to kill by stalking and 
leaping. He had never been hungry enough to 
attempt such a feat before. But even as he de- 
bated, the hare moved out from under the tree 
with a couple of odd, crouching hops, and nosed a 
shrub inquisitively to see if it was edible. Red 
Slayer slunk a trifle nearer, and then, with the 
same abrupt and terrifying suddenness as before, 
the gray death dropped over the screen of a tree 
like a falling cannon ball, and hit the great rabbit 
like a bomb. * 
There was instantly a tremendous scuffle, 
which Red Slayer watched, fascinated, from the 
shelter of his bush. The hare was so heavy the 
hawk could not lift him clear of the ground as 
long as he was putting up resistance, and he was 
strong enough, too, to roll and kick with his big 
hind legs, striking the wings of the bird. He 
