urned them back; and there came on the wind the sound
of a shrill yelp, which made all three of the Hinds to quiver again.
Then the mass began to move faster than before, and the Deer watched
it go further and further away from them till at last it settled down
to its first pace and vanished out of sight.

"Well, that is a mercy," said Aunt Yeld with a deep sigh. "I thought
it was full early yet for those detestable creatures to begin their
horrible work again. I think that we are safe now, but I'll just make
sure in case of accidents."

And with that she began to trot about in the strangest fashion. For
she made a great circle to the track by which she had come back from
feeding in the early morning, and ran back along it for some way, and
then she turned off it, and after a time made another circle which
brought her to a little stream. Then she ran up the water and made
another circle which brought her back again.

"There," she said, "if they do follow us, that will puzzle them." But
the Lady Tawny had been looking at her Calf all the time, and now she
spoke: "I am afraid to stay here any longer, Aunt Yeld. I will take my
Calf far away to a quiet spot that I know of, and do you stop with
sister and look after her."

So they parted, and very sad they were at parting. She led her Calf
away slowly, that he might not tire, but they had not gone very far
when there ran past them a great Buck-Rabbit. He neither saw nor heard
them, for his eyes were starting out of his head with fright; and he
went on only for a little way and then lay down and squealed most
miserably. Then they heard a faint sound rather like the yelp that
they had heard from the hound, but much smaller; and presently there
came five little bits of brown bodies, long, and lithe and slender,
racing along on their tiny short legs far faster than you would have
thought possible. They were following the line of the Rabbit, and the
old mother Weasel led the way, speaking to the scent as loud as she
could (and that was not very loud), "Forward, children, forward,
forward," and the four little Weasels joined in chorus, "Forward,
forward, forward"; then she cried, "Blood, children, blood," and they
answered at the top of their pipes, "Blood, blood, blood, blood." And
their fierce little eyes flashed, and their sharp little teeth gleamed
as they dashed away through the grass; and I am afraid that the
Buck-Rabbit had but a poor chance with them, though he was nea