4 Ways of Wood Folk. 



nightly hunt; he is trotting along, head down, brows 

 deep-wrinkled, planning it all out. 



'■ Let me see," he is thinking, '4ast night I hunted 

 the Draper woods. To-night I '11 cross the brook just 

 this side the old bars, and take a look into that pas- 

 ture-corner among the junipers. There 's a rabbit 

 which plays round there on moonlight nights ; I '11 

 . have him presently. Then I '11 go down to the big 

 South meadow after mice. I haven't been there 

 for a week ; and last time I got six. If I don't find 

 mice, there 's that chicken coop of old Jenkins. 

 Only" — He stops, with his foot up, and listens a 

 minute — '■ only he locks the coop and leaves the dog 

 loose ever since I took the bio; rooster. Anvwav I'll 

 take a look round there. Sometimes Deacon Jones's 

 hens get to roosting in the next orchard. If I can 

 find them up an apple tree, I '11 bring a couple down 

 with a good trick I know. On the way — Hi, 

 there ! " 



In the midst of his planning he gives a grasshopper- 

 jump aside, and brings down both paws hard on a 

 bit of green moss that Cjuivered as he passed. He 

 spreads his paws apart carefully; thrusts his nose 

 down between them ; drags a young wood-mouse 

 from under the moss ; eats him ; licks his chops 

 twice, and goes on planning as if nothing had 

 happened. 



