as about putting this resolution into
effect he heard voices beneath the tree, and lay quite still to listen.
But what was his astonishment, as they drew nearer, to perceive that one
of the two foxes from whom the sounds proceeded, was his former steward
and factotum! His interest in their movements was of course increased,
and he listened, with his ears and eyes bent down, to catch their every
syllable and look. The stranger fox, it appeared, was about crossing the
brook to the city, and the other one had accompanied him thus far, but
refused to enter the town. On this, the following words reached Bruin's
ear:--

_Stranger._--I have noticed more than once, cousin, that you avoid the
town; and yet I have known you to declare that no one but a cow could
live in the country.

_Fox._--True enough, my dear fellow; but since I left _his_ service, you
know, I don't care to run the risk of meeting him.

_Stranger._--Ha! ha! I see. You are rather apprehensive he should seize
you by the throat, and exclaim, "_My_ money or _your_ life!"

_Fox._--Hush! hush! who knows what ears may be listening? Enough that I
have a comfortable competency, and don't choose to run the risk of
losing it.

_Stranger._--Well, well, cousin, I say no more; but remember, your
grandfather and mine never left his home for fear of meeting with a wolf
who owed him a grudge, and was found dead in his bed, having been
murdered by the very wolf after all. Come! you needn't look so down
about it, old fellow; nothing half so bad, I hope, will come to
you.--Ta! ta!

So saying, the stranger fox took leave of his cousin, and was soon on
the opposite shore.

Fox waited till he saw him land, and then slowly turned to retrace his
steps.

Scarcely, however, had he taken half-a-dozen paces, than a rushing noise
smote his ears; and before he could raise his head a heavy body struck
him between the shoulders, with a violence which dashed him flat on to
the ground. He neither moved nor uttered a cry: his neck was broken.
With a savage howl, Bruin--for it is easy to guess that it was he--put
his heavy paw upon the other's chest; but finding all still, he examined
his clothes, whence he took all the valuables. He paused in his work to
chide his own precipitancy; for had he followed the Fox he might,
perhaps, have learnt his dwelling and regained great part of his
property. It was too late now; so, giving a savage kick on the face of
the unfortunate animal, he heape