shadow of death among young bunnies assembled to
welcome the dewy warmth of the new day. On the way home he dropped
his rabbit to stalk a half-grown bandicoot; and finally, after less
than an hour's absence, he returned to the den carrying a rabbit
and a bandicoot, so that Warrigal might have variety in her
breakfast. Being parched with thirst, Warrigal gratefully accepted
both kills, and without actually eating either drew some sustenance
from both. Then with an anxious look at the family she nudged Finn
out of the den with her nose, and, leaving him outside on the
ledge, turned and raced for the creek, like an arrow from a bow.
She was back again inside of two minutes with bright drops clinging
to her fur. Finn had sat patiently beside the mouth of the den
waiting, and for this Warrigal gave him a grateful glance of
appreciation before gliding into her puppies, who already were
beginning to whimper for warmth and nourishment.

Finn took very naturally to the part of father and bread-winner. He
lounged about the mouth of the den through the day, creeping in
occasionally to see how things went with his mate, and returning
then to keep guard outside. She allowed him now to touch the odd
little creatures who were his children; but they did not like the
feeling of his tongue, and wriggled away from it in their blind,
helpless way. "There, there!" said Finn low down in his throat, and
withdrew, marvelling afresh at the mysteries of life and the
cleverness of femininity. As for Warrigal, she seemed absurdly
happy and proud about it all now, and assumed considerable airs of
importance. She took her food in brief snatches a dozen times
during the day, and when Finn left her in the early night for the
trails, she looked at him in a meaning way which said plainly that
she attached importance to the matter of food supply, though she
could not take to the trails herself, being otherwise and fully
occupied. Finn licked her muzzle reassuringly and went out.

The pack had to forage for itself that night, for when Finn made
his kill--a fat rock wallaby--he announced in the most unmistakable
manner that there was nothing to spare for followers that night,
and marched off mountain-wards, trailing the whole heavy kill over
his right shoulder. In the course of the night it became known to
all the wild people of that range that the mate of the leader of
the pack had other mouths than her own to feed, and that for the
time Finn would do