o the woods, a half a mile
From home, where he was chopping wood. We raced,
We slipped and slid; reaching, at last, the north
Side of Tharp's corn-field.--There we struck what seemed
To be a coon-track--so we all agreed:
And father, who was not a hunter, to
Our glad surprise, proposed we follow it.
The snow was quite five inches deep; and we,
Keen on the trail, were soon far in the woods.
Our old dog, "Ring," ran nosing the fresh track
With whimpering delight, far on ahead.
After following the trail more than a mile
To northward, through the thickest winter woods
We boys had ever seen,--all suddenly
He seemed to strike _another_ trail; and then
Our joyful attention was drawn to
Old "Ring"--leaping to this side, then to that,
Of a big, hollow, old oak-tree, which had
Been blown down by a storm some years before.
There--all at once--out leapt a lean old fox
From the black hollow of a big bent limb,--
Hey! how he scudded!--but with our old "Ring"
Sharp after him--and father after "Ring"--
We after father, near as we could hold!
And father noticed that the fox kept just
About four feet ahead of "Ring"--just _that_--
No farther, and no nearer! Then he said:--
"There are young foxes in that tree back there,

* * * * *

[Illustration: "A BIG, HOLLOW, OLD OAK-TREE, WHICH HAD BEEN BLOWN DOWN
BY A STORM."]

* * * * *

And the mother-fox is drawing 'Ring' and us
Away from their nest there!" "Oh, le' 's go back!--
Do le' 's go back!" we little vandals cried,--
"Le' 's go back, quick, and find the little things--
_Please_, father!--Yes, and take 'em home for pets--
'Cause 'Ring' he'll kill the old fox anyway!"
So father turned at last, and back we went,
And father chopped a hole in the old tree
About ten feet below the limb from which
The old fox ran, and--Bless their little lives!--
There, in the hollow of the old tree-trunk--
There, on a bed of warm dry leaves and moss--
There, snug as any bug in any rug--
We found--one--two--three--four, and, yes-sir, _five_
Wee, weenty-teenty baby-foxes, with
Their eyes just barely opened--_Cute_?--my-oh!--
_The_ cutest--the most cunning little things
Two boys ever saw, in all their lives!
"Raw weather for the little fellows _now_!"
Said father, as though talking to himself,--
"Raw weather, and no home _now_!"--And off ca