126 - THE PRISONER SET FREE.

before. This occurred so often that at last they scarcely

troubled themselves to flutter out of the way, even when —

about to be touched by the drifting bough.

The gentleman, meantime, marking the regular intervals
at which the fir branches came after each other in the same
track, looked for a cause, and saw, at length, higher up the
bank of the stream, a fox, which, having evidently sent them
adrift, was eagerly watching their progress and the effect
they produced. Satisfied with the result, cunning Reynard
at last selected a larger branch of spruce-fir than usual, and
couching himself down on it, sent it adrift as he had done the
others. The birds, now well used to the floating branches,
scarcely moved till he was in the midst of them. Then,
making rapid snaps right and left, he secured two fine young
ducks as his prey, and floated forward in triumph on his raft ;

while the remaining fowls, screaming in terror, took to flight,

and returned no more to the spot.

 

THE PRISONER SET FREE.

Mrs. F——, who has had much experience with poultry,
considers them very sensible and kind-hearted birds. The
leg of a young duck had been broken by an accident. She
placed it in splints, and put the bird under a small crate,

_ on a patch of grass, to prevent its moving about till it had —

recovered. It was one of a large family; and in a short
time its relatives gathered round the prisoner, clamouring
their condolence in every variety of quacking intonation.
They forced their necks under the crate, evidently trying