English
Helittlegainsandhasnopride
Whofromhispurposeturnsaside.
—Whitefoot.
ShadowtheWeaselbelievesinpersistence.
Whenhesetsouttodoathing,hekeepsatituntilitisdoneorheknowsforacertaintyitcannotbedone.Heisnoteasilydiscouraged.
Thisisonereasonheissofearedbythelittlepeoplehedelightstohunt.
Theyknowthatoncehegetsontheirtrail,theywillbefortunateindeediftheyescapehim.
WhenWhiteytheSnowyOwlswoopedathimandsonearlycaughthim,hewasnotafraidashedodgedthiswayandthatway.
Anyotherofthelittlepeoplewiththeexceptionofhiscousin,BillyMink,wouldhavebeenfrightenedhalftodeath.ButShadowwassimplyangry.
Hewasangrythatanyoneshouldtrytocatchhim.
HewasstillmoreangrybecausehishuntforJumpertheHarewasinterferedwith.
Yousee,hehadjustfoundJumper’strailwhenWhiteyswoopedathim.
SoShadow’slittleeyesgrewredwithrageashedodgedthiswayandthatandwasgraduallydrivenawayfromtheplacewherehehadfoundthetrailofJumpertheHare.
Atlasthesawaholeinanoldlogandintothishedarted.Whiteycouldn’tgethimthere.
Whiteyknewthisandheknew,too,thatwaitingforShadowtocomeoutagainwouldbeawasteoftime.SoWhiteypromptlyflewaway.
HardlyhadhedisappearedwhenShadowpoppedoutofthathole,forhehadbeenpeepingoutandwatchingWhitey.
Withoutamoment’spauseheturnedstraightbackfortheplacewherehehadfoundthetrailofJumpertheHare.
Hehadnointentionofgivingupthathuntjustbecausehehadbeendrivenaway.
StraighttotheveryspotwhereWhiteyhadfirstswoopedathimheran,andthereoncemorehiskeenlittlenosetookupthetrailofJumper.
ItledhimstraighttothefootofthetreewhereJumperhadcrouchedsolong.
But,asyouknow,Jumperwasn’ttherethen.
ShadowraninacircleandpresentlyhefoundwhereJumperhadlandedonthesnowattheendofthatfirstbound.Shadowsnarled.
Heunderstoodexactlywhathadhappened.
“JumperwasunderthattreewhenthatwhiterobberfromtheFarNorthtriedtocatchme,andhetookthatchancetoleaveinahurry.
Icantellthatbythelengthofthisjump.Probablyheisstillgoing.
Itisuselesstofollowhimbecausehehastoolongastart,”saidShadow,andhesnarledagaininrageanddisappointment.
Then,forsuchishisway,hewastednomoretimeorthoughtonJumpertheHare.Insteadhebegantolookforothertrails.SoitwasthathefoundoneofthelittleholesofWhitefoottheWoodMouse.
“Ha!SothisiswhereWhitefoothasbeenlivingthiswinter!”heexclaimed.
Oncemorehiseyesglowedred,butthistimewitheagernessandthejoyofthehunt.
Heplungeddownintothatlittleholeinthesnow.
DowntherethescentofWhitefootwasstrong.
Shadowfollowedituntilitledoutofanotherlittleholeinthesnow.Buttherehelostit.
Yousee,itwassolongsinceWhitefoothadhurriedlyleftthatthescentonthesurfacehaddisappeared.
Shadowranswiftlythiswayandthatwayinabigcircle,buthecouldn’tfindWhitefoot’strailagain.
Snarlingwithangeranddisappointment,hereturnedtothelittleholeinthesnowandvanished.
ThenhefollowedallWhitefoot’slittletunnels.HefoundWhitefoot’snest.Hefoundhisstoreofseeds.Buthedidn’tfindWhitefoot.
“He’llcomeback,”mutteredShadow,andcurledupinWhitefoot’snesttowait.
Share this article to
FINISH