FLUFF-BUTTON THE RABBIT 119 
were playing ' tig ' on the slope, dodging one another 
backwards and forwards. The White Doe watched 
their twinkling white scuts for a minute, and then, 
just as the moon broke from behind the clouds, with 
a hop, skip, and jump she launched herself play- 
fully between the couple. They stood still for one 
paralysed instant, and then, stamping frantically, 
the whole community stampeded in every direction. 
The White Rabbit did not realise that she was 
responsible for this flight, but, believing it to mean 
cat or stoat, she bolted with the rest. She plunged 
down a burrow and scurried along never-ending 
corridors and side- ways. She could hear footsteps 
which fled before her, and all round the passages 
rang with muffled danger signals. At last she 
entered a hide-up, and hearing shuffling feet, 
explored it to its end. In the dark she collided 
with something which was furry and soft, and felt 
twitching whiskers brush her face. Another rabbit 
had taken refuge there ; and surely it was yes, it 
was the noses of the Fur Folk are as trustworthy 
as our eyes the same who had repulsed her in 
the wood that morning. But obviously he did 
not recognise her in the darkness, for he cowered 
to her at the end of the passage. There was comfort 
in companionship, and they huddled together, 
fearful lest something stealthy and terrible should 
