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 from the lane outside the fence, thought it one of the funniest things he had ever seen; the dignity and hauteur of Redcoat and the shy glances of the blue stranger.

But there were many influences at work to break down the barrier Redcoat sought to raise between himself and his destined mate. In the first place, he was very lonely and he was thinking constantly of Fluffy and the new litter of little blind fox pups in the den among the spruces. He would never see them again. This man creature had taken him far, far away. He knew not the way back, and this lady fox was trying to be kind to him. But there was one art which she possessed that was more powerful than all others. She admired Redcoat immensely. He was the largest and most beautiful fox she had ever seen, and she made this plain to him at every possible chance. Redcoat could not look in her direction without seeing her gaze at him with adoring eyes, and finally his vanity was touched. Why, this stranger really knew a fine fox when she saw one, and she did ad-