REDPAD THE FOX 41 
came, and at six o'clock, tired and chilled, Jack 
Skehan went home. 
The poison was still there, but Redpad, made 
wary by his former experience with the rabbit 
paunch, passed it by, and besides, the mysterious 
rustling of the white paper underneath scared him. 
The real sheep slayer never touched it, for he 
seemed to prefer warm meat to cold. 
On the two following nights again nothing was 
taken ; but on the third morning news was brought 
that an older lamb had been killed in Jack Skehan's 
flock, and that the carcase had not been removed, 
so Paddy Magragh went up to the field. 
' Bedam ! I '11 have the poison thick in every 
field on the farm, and put up the wire besides,' 
stormed Jack Skehan. ' Is aT me sheep to be 
worried on me that the gintry may hunt their 
dirthy foxes over me land ? I '11 have ivery 
mother 's son o' thim prosecuted.' 
' Now I '11 go bail,' said Paddy Magragh, who 
had picked up the carcase, ' that 'twas a dog had 
this killed.' 
' An' what dog in this counthry would touch 
a sheep, an' they wid 'em all day ? ' demanded 
Garry, Jack Skehan's young brother. 
' Where have ye that felly o' yours shut at 
nights ? ' asked Paddy Magragh, looking at the 
