noll," said Addison, pointing to a hillock among the trees.

"Yes, that's the place," the Old Squire corroborated.

On the side of the knoll next us as we drew near, there was a large
hole, leading downwards and backwards into the bank side. A quantity of
yellow earth had been thrown out quite recently, looking as if dogs had
tried to dig out the fox. Tom looked into the hole.

"Yes, siree," he exclaimed. "There's a fox lives here; I know by these
flies in the mouth of the hole. You'll always see two or three of these
flies at a hole where there's a fox or a wood-chuck."

Farther around the knoll there were two other holes, one beside a rock
and the other under a birch-tree root, which manifestly led into the
same burrow, deep back in the knoll.

"And only look here!" cried Addison. "See these bones and these
feathers."

"Oho!" said the Old Squire. "'Tis a female fox with her cubs that has
taken up her abode in the old burrow this summer. That accounts for her
raids on the turkeys and geese; she's got a young family to look out
for."

After some discussion, it was agreed to begin our assault at the hole
where the bones and feathers had been brought out; and while Addison and
I went to block up the entrance to the other two holes with stones, the
Old Squire threw off his coat, and seizing the crowbar, commenced to
break down the rooty ground over the hole, while Thomas and Halse
cleared it away with their shovels. We worked by turns, or all together,
as opportunity offered. It was no light task for a warm June afternoon,
and we were soon perspiring freely. Gradually we removed the top of the
knoll, following the hole inward, and came to the intersection of this
one with another farther around to the west side. There was a
considerable cavity here, matted underfoot with feathers and small
bones. From this point the burrow crooked around a large rock down in
the ground.

Listening now at this opening, we could hear faint sounds farther back
in the earth, and an occasional slight sneeze.

"Digging to get away, or get out!" exclaimed Thomas.

While we were resting and listening, a sharp, querulous bark came
suddenly to our ears from out in the woods behind us.

"'Tis the old fox!" said Addison. "She's been away. She isn't in the
hole. But she has come back in sight, and she don't like the looks of us
here." He seized the gun and went cautiously off in the direction of the
sound, but could not again catch sight o