ne or two
sandwiches left as well.'

'Righto,' said Chippy, and turned to and skinned the rabbit, and
cleaned it, ready for broiling in the morning.

Then they turned in, and were soon off to sleep.

Three hours later the Raven was wakened by something moving and
sniffing about his bed. He sat up, and a creature, looking in the
faint light something like a dog, ran away into the coppice.

Next Dick awoke, aroused by his chum's movements, and heard the Raven
grunting and growling softly to himself.

'Anything wrong, Chippy?' he asked.

'Sommat's been here an' bagged the brekfus',' replied the Raven.

'Was it a dog prowling about?' cried Dick.

At this moment a hollow bark rang from the depths of the coppice:

'Wow-wow! Wow-wow!'

'There it is,' said Dick; 'a dog.'

'No,' replied Chippy. 'I know wot it is now. That's a fox. I'll bet
theer's a vixen wi' cubs in this coppice, an' she's smelt the rabbit
an' collared it.'

'Then I hope that weasel will start hunting again, laughed Dick, 'and
chevy up another breakfast for us.'

'Well, it's gone, an' theer's no use tryin' to look for it,' said
Chippy, and tucked himself up in his blanket again.

CHAPTER XLVIII

IN THE RAIN

The scouts were falling off to sleep once more when they were aroused
again, this time by the divinest music. A nightingale began to sing in
the little wood, and made it echo and re-echo with the richest song.

Suddenly a faint murmuring began to mingle with the lovely notes. The
murmuring grew, and the bird's song ceased. The air was filled with
the patter of falling rain.

'Rain!' cried Dick; 'that's rain, Chippy.'

'On'y a shower, p'raps,' said his comrade.

'I hope so,' returned the Wolf.

They felt nothing of the rain at present, for they were camped beneath
a fir which stood as an outpost to the coppice, and its thick canopy
was stretched above their heads. Chippy sprang up and threw fresh fuel
on the fire, and looked out on the night.

'Theer's a big black cloud creepin' up from the sou'-west,' he said.
'That looks pretty bad for a soaker.'

In a short time the scouts knew they were in for a real drenching. The
patter of the rain came heavier and thicker, until it was drumming on
the fir-branches in steady streams. Soon great spots began to fall
from the lower branches of the fir beneath which they lay.

'I've just had a big drop slap in my eye,' said Dick, sitting up.
'What are we going to do, Chippy?