the same stem as myself.

'Dash does not steal along in that crafty manner,' said another.

'Perhaps it is a rabbit,' suggested one, 'or a cat taking a walk.'

'It may be a rat.'

Various conjectures were hazarded by those who grew low down on the
wall, but I was higher up than they, so, looking cautiously over, what
should I see but a Fox creeping along, and scenting his prey, with his
sharp nose close to the ground.

'Good evening!' I called out to him.

He started with alarm, for great rascals are always great cowards.

'Oh, good evening, my friend,' he replied, very blandly. 'Charming
evening this for a walk.'

'Yes,' I answered sharply; 'but rather late for respectable folks to be
abroad!'

'Ah yes, just so,' was his response; 'but, you see, my doctor has
advised me to take quiet rambles.'

'It was not Dr. Quack, was it?' I asked; 'because, poor fellow, he came
to an untimely end the other night,--had his head bitten off, and his
body was then dragged across the yard, as I suppose you already know?'

'Dear me!' he ejaculated, with affected pity, and glancing slyly up at
me out of the corner of his red eyes; 'but how should I know, my
friend?'

'Oh, because some of your family are strongly suspected,' was my reply;
'indeed, our Dash is on the watch, so I would advise you to'--

'Good-night, good-night,' he hurriedly exclaimed. 'I feel the winds are
becoming very chilly.'

So saying, he shuffled off as fast as possible, more especially as at
that moment Dash began barking furiously, as though he scented a foe.
How we laughed to think we had frightened the artful fellow away, and
some of us thought we should never see him again; but we were mistaken,
for, a few nights after, there he was creeping along so stealthily
outside the garden wall.

'What do you want?' I called out to him.

'Nothing, my friend, nothing,' was his answer.

'Well, since we do not keep that article here, you had better seek it
elsewhere,' interposed a brother of mine who is rather saucy.

The Fox paused for a moment, as if hesitating what to say; at length he
began, in a whining tone of voice,--

'My beloved friends, I perceive I must take you into my confidence. The
fact is, my worthy doctor says I am in delicate health, and has
therefore directed me'--

'Well,' I said, seeing that he hesitated; 'what of that?'

'Simply this; he has ordered me to eat only light, digestible food, such
as chicken,' he went on to say.