as she hid in the
undergrowth seemed to show that she possessed unusual forethought. She
waited and watched for several nights, till the badgers had ceased to
labour, and the mound before the "set" remained apparently untouched.
Then, one evening, after she had seen the badgers go off together into
the heart of the wood, she entered, and moved along the gallery, pausing
here and there to touch the walls with her sensitive muzzle. Coming to a
place where a stone was slightly loosened, she began to dig a shaft
almost at right angles to the roomy gallery, and for a time continued
her work undisturbed; but an hour or so before dawn she retired to sleep
in a thicket, some distance beyond the plain, wide trail marking the
badger's movements to and from the nearest fields.

The badgers, on returning home, were sorely puzzled at the change that
had taken place during their absence. To all appearance, a trick had
been played on them, for, whereas their house had been left neat and
tidy at dusk, there was now a pile of earth obstructing the main
passage. However, they accepted the situation philosophically, and
completed the rabbit's work by clearing the gallery and adding to the
heap beyond the entrance.

Night after night, the wily rabbit watched for the badgers' departure,
carried on her work, and gave them a fresh task for the early morning,
till a short but winding burrow, some depth below the level of the
ground, formed an antechamber where the little family to which she
presently gave birth was reared in safety.

Though the badgers, aware that the shallow "stops" in the woods were
more easily unearthed than this deeper burrow near the mouth of the
"set," did not seek to disturb their neighbours, the mother rabbit,
directly her family grew old enough to leave the nest, became
increasingly vigilant, and, when about to lead them to or from their
dwelling, was ever careful to be satisfied that all was quiet in the
chambers and the galleries below. Generally she ventured abroad before
the badgers awoke from the day's sleep, came back during their absence,
and once more stole out to feed when they had returned and were resting
in their snuggery. The danger that lurked in her surroundings supplied a
special excitement to life, and she never heard without fear the ominous
sounds that vibrated clearly through every crack and cranny when the
badgers occasionally arose from their couch, stretched their cramped
limbs, shook their r