"Fox -Ways. 25 



over the hill and down the hollow ; but though the 

 dogs ran true, and the hunter watched the runways 

 all day with something more than his usual interest, 

 he got no glimpse of the wily old fox. Late at night 

 the dogs came limping home, weary and footsore, but 

 with never a long yellow hair clinging to their chops 

 to tell a story. 



The fox saved his pullet, of course. Finding him- 

 self pursued, he buried it hastily, and came back the 

 next night undoubtedly to get it. 



Several times since then I have known of his play- 

 ing possum in the same way. The little fellow whom 

 I mentioned as living near the wilderness, and snar- 

 ing foxes, once caught a black fox — a rare, beautiful 

 animal with a very valuable skin — in a trap which 

 he had baited for weeks in a wild pasture. It was 

 the first black fox he had ever seen, and, boylike, he 

 took it only as a matter of mild wonder to find the 

 beautiful creature frozen stiff, apparently, on his pile 

 of chaff with one hind leg fast in the trap. 



He carried the prize home, trap and all, over his 

 shoulder. At his whoop of exultation the whole fam- 

 ily came out to admire and congratulate. At last he 

 took the trap from the fox's leg, and stretched him 

 out on the doorstep to gloat over the treasure and 

 stroke the glossy fur to his heart's content. His 

 attention was taken away for a moment ; then he had 



