FOXES 



as though time was of no consequence to him. 

 And then I felt that It was my turn, for he 

 was hardly forty yards away, and I sighted fairly 

 at his shoulder; but just then my foot slipped 

 on the grass and I sat down very suddenly, while 

 the fox bolted off with his prize still over his 

 shoulder. 



By the time I had regained my feet, he was 

 ninety yards away or more ; but I sent the heavy 

 shot spinning after him just for the moral effect 

 it might have, and at least it caused him to drop 

 the hen, and put on a fresh spurt of speed for 

 the woods, which in the next instant swallowed 

 him from sight. 



From what I have seen, I am inclined to think 

 that the foxes get even more poultry than they 

 have credit for, as they hunt at all hours of the 

 day ; and wherever there is a field of corn in 

 which chickens are allowed to wander, you can 

 nearly always find fresh fox tracks in the soft 

 earth, often almost under the farmer's windows. 

 3 33 



