The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-24
Continued fran Page ~

TOT All MS rage, lHe llllHh kept MS
wits about him. He knew the owl for
one of his most dangerous rivals and
advcrsaries. He knew that he could
Kill her II once he could reach her
throat, or get his grip fixed on one of
her mighty wings, close to the base.
But that If kept him prudent. He was
too well aware that in an open combat
he was more than likely to get his
neck or his back into the clutch of
those memorable talons, - and that
would be the end of him. Discreetly,
therefore. he kept himself well within
the basket. which was large enough to
hold him comfortably. He snarled
shrilly through the little square hole
in the cover. while his assailant,
baked of her prey and furious with
the smart of her wound, pounced once
more upon the basket and strove to
claw an entrance. A chance blow of
one of her pounding wings drove the
lid - the basket being still on its side
completely to- The sorrel horse
under the birch tree swung round on
his tether, and rolled his eyes. and
snorted, deeply scandalized at such
goings-on about his familiar wagon
II was just at this point in the
mink's adventure that the fox re.
turned to the clearing. He had had
rather poor luck with the wood mice,
and his chops watercd with the mem.
DRY of those trout in the wagon. Some.
thing of an expert in dealing with
traps. he made up his mind that he
would try To circumvent this one.
The sight that met his shrewd eyes
as he emerged warily from the cover
of the fir woods amazed him. He
halted to take 1t in thoroughly. He
saw the basket lying on the ground,
and the angry owl clawing at It. The
fish he did not see. He concluded that
they were still in the basket, and that
the owl was trying to get at them.
This particular kind of owl, as he
knew, was a most formidable antago-
mist. but with his substantial weight
and his long, Furnishing jaws. he felt
himself much more than a match for
her. His eyes famed green with in.
dignation as he watched her trying
to steal the prize which he had al.
ready marked down for his own. He
dartcd forward on tip.toe. - noise.
leSsly, as he thought, - and made a
long leap al the Tapping, dusky
wings.
But the ears of an owl are very
miracle of sensitiveness. They can
catch the squeak of mouse AT a dis.
lance which. for ordinary ears, would
make the sharp clucking of a chip
munk inaudible. To the bird on the
basket the coming of those velvet
footsteps were like the scamper of a
frightened sheep. She sprang into the
air without an effort, hung for mo-
ment to glare down upon the fox with
her hard. round. moonpale eyes, and
then sailed off without sound. hav-
ing no mind to try conclusions with
the long. jawed red stranger
THE fox was surprised to find the
trout lying scattered about the
grass, some of them bitten and man.
glod. What, then. was in the basket
What was the great owl trying to get
at, when the precious fish We're all
spread out before her? Curiosity dom
mating his hunger. he stepped up to
the basket and shifted at the hole in
the lid. Instantly there was shrill
vicious snarl from within and wide
open. triangular mouth, set with white
teeth. darted at his nose. lie drew
back hastily. and sat down on his
tail, ears cooked and head tilted to
one side to consider
II puzzled him greatly that there
should be mink in the basket. Tip
tOcing cautiously around it, he saw