i8o GRIMALKIN THE CAT 
complacent expression. He also scrutinised the 
rabbit he also would wait. If there should be a 
battle, well and good let the strongest win. Grim- 
alkin made no sign save that he bared his teeth 
in a silent snarl of concentrated hate ; but hot 
anger boiled within him, for it is one of the laws of 
the Fur Folk, that if one beast hunts the quarry of 
another of the same kind, the latter may kill him 
if he will. But never before had another cat dared 
to stalk Grimalkin's game, or beard him to his face. 
It was intolerable, and he half turned, and in so 
doing betrayed himself. The rabbit is the wariest 
of Wood Folk. If he were not so he would have died 
out centuries ago. He sat up with alert ears, and 
lilted suspiciously to a distance. The hunters saw 
that their game had disappointed them, but they 
scarcely heeded it. They watched one another for 
a minute with slowly undulating tail-tips. Then 
very evenly and softly from the patriarch's throat 
rose the challenge of Clan Cattus : ' mi-ee-awl.' 
His grandson answered, flinging back the 
cry loudly and defiantly, interlarding it 
with those insults of which a tom-cat is 
such an unrivalled master. 
The heroes circled round one 
another, and then closed, striking 
out tufts of fur until the ground was 
