THE WITCHES’ ISLAND, 197

 

 

rabbits basking in the morning sunlight outside their
holes. These animals, however, behaved after the
usual manner of their race. Some disappeared im-
mediately beneath the surface of the earth, others
sat up, drummed violently and nervously upon the
‘ground with their forefeet, as if to give their friends
warning of the approach of a stranger, and then
dived into their holes also; while some went down
more slowly, leaving their heads visible above the
earth as if they left the sun’s rays with reluctance,
then gradually drawing their heads downwards until
only the tips of their ears were to be seen, and finally
disappearing just as Molly set foot upon the outside
of the roots of the old thorn-tree round which were
their dwellings. These roots extended for some little
way, forthe thorn-tree was large as well as old, and
Molly paused as soon as she had reached the first
rabbit’s hole.

To tell the truth, now for the first time it struck
her that she did not know how to obtain from the
Wise Rabbit the information and aid she desired.
In that part of the world rabbits were not generally
inthe habit of communicating freely with mankind,
from whom, indeed, they usually fled, and those of
the race who inhabited the earths around the thorn-
tree appeared to be no exception to the general rule.
Moreover, she did not understand the Rabbit lan-
guage, and had not the least idea how to address
the ariimal she sought, so as to make him understand
what she wanted.” So. she stopped at a few yards’
distance from the tree, and stood in doubt and hesita-
tion as to what she should do next. However, as