New-York tribune., 1911-02-05
BY CHARLES G. D. ROBERTS

He was up the birch -.. and out on Tie
branch before the heavy W..ei porcupne
which had It's back 70 him. had ,ae Test warning
OF his approach.
VERY cautiously now. Ishmad ,r.p. 0at along TIE
branch. which bent low beneath tae .r ing weight
Perhaps wondering why he had suddenly grown s.
much heavier. the porcupine Slowly .Hfted 10 cIme
,|r, han halfway round. he found .. confronted
a. - distance Of q few inches Orv. .r the Sler,
deadly face OF Ishmael. crouched Joss o- branch.
Instantly every quill Of the p.r.arnes defense
stood erect but his position Wa " ..'aId ina; q
could not Immediately coil him-o.' ar f mat BAL g
needle points that all his foe SO 1r. .. C9nyu X
o,,ri dov,, beneath his DaWs Bur t.. loom befoN
I;r, s,r,,rl, TOO ou,rLly Ishmac~ h. darted tcr
ward swift and unerring a rather -. II shG =
beneath the threatening frontlet Of t.-s and IKE.
inexorabe fangS in the porcupinc nos, go
At the same instant lshmacl, who ... .H al pos2o@
dangers Of the situation began backing sky upN
branch The porcupinc Strove o. da.. upon hn.
self. so that he might lash his enemy u.h his arrae.
and powerful tail; but lShmael draggei 'm along :"
rIdeIy for that. Digging in his claw md holin.
hack with all his strength he sroye o. resist his captc
and to wrench his muzzle free. Bu, b. was lefAel
forward 50 savagely that his sCant Wit but ofy'A
him.
The evening twilight. mysterious a.. It's rinsi1.
of sunset and moonrSe, had hthcrt. ...n Yocees>.
still except for the occasional solemn 'H ling noe
a nighthawk Swoopng across the y. ONE o. IS!
Now, however, the peace was broken B. "deols GU
fusion OF sounds, suppressed but tc. ,e. EXEC
to one Immediately beneath the tree .,rugge Va
unseen. But the fierce rafting OF bran The 0reaI
less. grunting SqueakS, the tearing Us drasse.
remorseessy from their hold on the h.rs re eoqasl
81 Re4Sb;ng ,be crotch Of the bogh nae brace
his little hind quarters securely agans' nam ruls
and with a sudden Jerk swung the por me clean q
his feet, daShing him violently agan>, inch oeGs
Half stunned and wholly bewicry5 e wreicns
victim laid back all his quillS he ,w" and ca"o
frantiCally for footing. IShmae a'0a hlin alno'
70 gain one and then, as he swung -.. .N,ented a.
dctcnseleSS, looSed hold upon his nose caught MI
by the throat. The wretched roicu. -iggleS gFt'
feeble, then ceased altogether. Who hung qui@
limp. lShmael let go, and the body ped 70 y.
ground. Following II with a rush. some out
hunter should torcStall him. lShmaG ,a~ u cafe'uL
over on lis back-knowing that all the parts "e''
soft and unprotected and fell TO his a.
Having eaten all he could wiki the icnee Of ~
ever successful hunter he left the 'niittIehi.
for whoever might come by. and bc,o r>eli 20 "
high and ample crotch Of a neighbour 1eech ue.
Here ne proceeded 10 make careful no, cleanSas
his fine fur Scrupulously till no, -... OF DIS a.
sangulnary adventure remained. Then Hlie a"AA.
and as keen for the chase AS II he had M hing 'o'1
for hours. he slipped down from O.. .,.,h tree ~h'
raced on through the moon sllverct ..,>s.
DRESENTLY through the stiffness ..r gh, baoos
OF running water. y If memory i.. q she'd 3C.S M
him al the sound, he Swerycd sharply .e. ana N :
few seconds came ont upon littic grass meadow ~
the shores OF shallow brook which -.g Soity O'G
its pebbles. But lshmacl was not thirsty. tic fGs.
no heed To the water, but went shifting nS among -
hcrbagc till presently he found wha, De "t, looking ~
Siraightway he fell 10 rolling himself over ana 80 49,
IN II and biting AT 1t IN sort Of ecstasy What ne -
found bed Of catnp. for which potent herb ne =. ~
all the scmlcnouS pa'S'
Of the cat, themselves. .
A !. IL. !. ]. u. d. J: I. ].
XWM L,,nrr.- .f De-. scent >ol'