FLUFF-BUTTON THE RABBIT 101 
blatantly conspicuous there was surely something 
in it not apparent to the eye. Perhaps it was a 
trap. As the hawk paused, his grim shadow flut- 
tered above the youngster in the clover, and the 
latter lost his nerve. He ran a few inches and 
crouched again. The hawk saw a quarry which 
was normal and probably safe. Besides, he was 
hungry. He dropped on to the grass, and pitching 
lightly, struck. There was a little cry ; and then 
flying low, overweighted with his burden, he 
skimmed across the field. 
That was the first, but not the last time, that 
danger turned aside from the white rabbit I was 
about to say, but let us rather give her the dignity 
of capitals, a dignity ever afterwards hers in Knock- 
dane, and speak of her as the White Rabbit. For 
the rest of the day no living things but larks and 
bumble bees came near, although once or twice a 
bullock blundered by and set the rabbits' hearts 
thit-thudding. Towards evening the mother-rabbit 
came up the hill to the nesting burrow. The babies 
heard her coming well enough, but two the White 
One and a brown were too well drilled to budge. 
The third, however, ran to her unsummoned, and 
was instantly punished for his disobedience, for she 
kicked him head over heels, and then signalled to 
the others that their time of waiting was over. 
