Page:St. Nicholas, vol. 40.1 (1912-1913).djvu/600

 400 length the first glimmer of dawn, striking on the misty water, came struggling up into the den. They turned gladly to greet it.

“At that very moment, the mink, whose tracks they had observed the night before, came swimming in. He had an old grudge to settle. His slim, black form was plainly visible as it arose through the graying water. As he popped his nose above the surface, he found himself confronted by two sturdy heads, which snarled in his face and snapped at him fearlessly. He was surprised and pained. He had expected to find those two youngsters half frightened to death, and surely not half so big. In fact, here at home and guarding their own threshold, they looked to him twice as big as they really were. He discreet'y withdrew. This sudden diffidence was fortunate for the two Little Furry Ones. For the mink, let me tell you, would have been a tough proposition for them to tackle.

“This back-down of their most dreaded enemy made the youngsters feel almost bigger than was good for them. But they did not lose their heads. They waited a few minutes to give the mink time to get good and far away, then they dived forth into the misty pool. It was full of fish They caught all they could eat.

“The next day, feeling more confident, they set out on a little expedition. In the course of the morning, they killed a big muskrat. after a sharp fight.

“Early in the afternoon, they came once more to the fateful slide. At the sight of it, as they came upon it suddenly, their fur bristled, and they crouched flat, glaring and snarling. Then they stole forward, and once more examined the whole place minutely. At last, finding nothing to alarm them, in an absent-minded way one went down the slide, splashing into the cool, brown water. The other followed at once. And in a minute more, they were both hard at it, having the time of their lives, weasels. foxes, minks, and vanished parents alike forgotten.”

“Oh!” protested the Babe, in a shocked voice.

“Let me tell you,” retorted Uncle Andy, “if the wild creatures had not pretty short memories for some things, they ’d have a mighty unhappy time of it. So don’t blame them.

“Well, they had been forgetting their troubles in this way for some little time, when, just as one of them came down the slide—it was the female—she was grabbed and pulled under. It was that same old mink. Darting up through the shadowy water, he had snapped viciously at the careless little player’s throat.