160 GRIMALKIN THE CAT 
light on the floor, growled softly at the recollection 
of the baulked spring in the hedge bottom ; and in 
his dreams that night for the Fur Folk often 
dream his claws worked softly as though he had 
struck them into the kill. 
After that Grimalkin watched the hedge bottom 
for two nights, but the Collared Buck was wary, and 
went out to feed by another way. On the third 
evening he came again, but a breath of wind 
warned him in time of his enemy's presence. This 
happened once or twice, and then Grimalkin grew 
tired of a fruitless vigil in the damp ditch and laid 
other plans. 
One January night Grimalkin came out of his 
cave, and stealing across the glen, climbed the 
opposite wall. It was dark under the trees, but a 
white blur in the shadows guided him to the mouth 
of the burrow in the elders. Very very cautiously 
he sniffed at the place. All was well. The Buck 
had not yet gone out. Grimalkin squatted down 
within striking distance, tucked his paws away 
cosily in front of him, and waited. 
An hour passed there was a stir in the burrow, 
and the Collared Buck crept out, his white throat 
a beacon in the starlight. So swiftly that it seemed 
as but one movement, Grimalkin took half a dozen 
