se," he finally asked her one day, "what's the use of
fussing so much over your back tracks?"

"You should always know what's behind you," said his mother. "Besides,
I can't rest well if I'm uneasy."

"Do you feel easy now?" he inquired, for she had just then lain down
after giving her back tracks her usual attention.

"Quite!" said Nimble's mother, as she closed her eyes and heaved a deep
sigh of contentment.

Her answer pleased Nimble. He smiled faintly as he watched her closely.
And he chuckled when his mother's head nodded three times and then sank
lower and lower.

Presently Nimble rose to his feet, without making the slightest rustle.
And very carefully he stole away.

III

AN INTERRUPTED NAP

Nimble, the fawn, stole away into the woods while his mother was
sleeping. And when he went he took great pains not to disturb her.
He was careful not to step on a single twig. For young as he was, he
knew that the sound of a breaking twig was enough to rouse his mother
instantly out of the deepest sleep. And he made sure that he didn't set
his little feet on any stones. For he knew that at the merest click of
a hoof his mother would bound up and discover that he had left her.

So Nimble trod only upon the soft carpet of pine needles and made not
the slightest noise. Meanwhile his mother slept peacefully on--or as
peacefully as anybody can who is a light sleeper and keeps one ear
always cocked to catch every stir in the forest.

She never missed her son at all until she found herself suddenly wide
awake and on her feet, ready to run. Not seeing Nimble beside her, for a
moment or two she forgot she had a child. Her only thought was to flee
from the creature that was crashing through the underbrush beyond the
old stone wall and drawing nearer to her every instant.

It was a wonder that she didn't dash off then and there. Indeed she took
one leap before she remembered who she was and that she had a youngster
named Nimble.

Then, of course, she stopped short and looked wildly around. But she saw
no little spotted fawn anywhere.

She had been startled enough, before, roused as she was out of a sound
sleep. And now she was terribly frightened.

"Nimble!" she called. "Where are you?"

"Here I am!" Nimble answered. Even as he spoke he burst into sight,
leaping the stone wall in such a way that his mother couldn't help
feeling proud of him.

"What's the matter?" she cried. "Who's chasing you?"

"Nobody'