FLUFF-BUTTON THE RABBIT 103 
eat them up, ventured for the first time on imita- 
tion. She kept her family in the ditch all day, 
she herself lying hidden close at hand with eyes and 
ears always alert for danger. Nevertheless, for all 
her care, the little brown rabbit strayed too far 
from her side, and being young and ignorant, he 
never heard the sniff-sniff of the stoat hunting 
down a runway, until it was too late. Then 
Brownie, who knew the meaning of that pitiful 
minor cry, very quickly and silently shepherded 
her one remaining young one over the fence into 
the next field ; and the scent was cold before Keen 
resumed his hunting. 
So only one of the litter remained, and for three 
days Brownie guarded her jealously. On the 
fourth morning very early they went out to feed. 
The dewfall had been very heavy, and soaked 
them from nose tip to tail, and the bats wheeled 
overhead. The coat of the little White Rabbit 
looked weird in the gloom as she sat up and tried 
to comb her whiskers as her mother did. Of the 
short hot nights of June of their mystery, and their 
majesty, and the ways of their children, what do 
men know ? Nothing, but they mar much. Only 
the white owl had seen Jack Skehan go his rounds 
at sunset, and he, who, happy bird, lived where 
pole traps were unknown, how could he know the 
