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He never again saw them； but he saw the mother oncehe thought it
was the sameshe was searching the woods with her nose； trying the
ground for trails； she was nervous and anxious； evidently seeking。 Thor
remembered a trick that Corney had told him。 He gently stooped； took up
a broad blade of grass； laid it between the edges of his thumbs； then
blowing through this simple squeaker he made a short； shrill bleat； a fair
imitation of a Fawn's cry for the mother； and the Deer； though a long way
off； came bounding toward him。 He snatched his gun； meaning to kill her；
but the movement caught her eye。 She stopped。 Her mane bristled a little；
she sniffed and looked inquiringly at him。 Her big soft eyes touched his
heart； held back his hand； she took a cautious step nearer； got a full whiff
of her mortal enemy； bounded behind a big tree and away before his
merciful impulse was gone。 〃Poor thing；〃 said Thor； 〃I believe she has lost
her little one。〃
Yet once more the Boy met a Lynx in the woods。 Half an hour after
seeing the lonely Deer he crossed the long ridge that lay some miles north
of the shanty。 He had passed the glade where the great basswood lay when
a creature like a big bob…tailed Kitten appeared and looked innocently at
him。 His gun went up； as usual； but the Kitten merely cocked its head on
one side and fearlessly surveyed him。 Then a second one that he had not
noticed before began to play with the first； pawing at its tail and inviting
its brother to tussle。
Thor's first thought to shoot was stayed as he watched their gambols；
but the remembrance of his feud with their race came back。 He had almost
raised the gun when a fierce rumble close at hand gave him a start； and
there； not ten feet from him； stood the old one； looking big and fierce as a
Tigress。 It was surely folly to shoot at the young ones now。 The boy
nervously dropped some buckshot on the charge while the snarling growl
rose and fell； but before he was ready to shoot at her the old one had
picked up something that was by her feet； the boy got a glimpse of rich
brown with white spotsthe limp form of a newly killed Fawn。 Then she
passed out of sight。 The Kittens followed； and he saw her no more until
the time when； life against life； they were weighed in the balance together。
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IV
THE TERROR OF THE WOODS
Six weeks had passed in daily routine when one day the young giant
seemed unusually quiet as he went about。 His handsome face was very
sober and he sang not at all that morning。
He and Thor slept on a hay…bunk in one corner of the main room； and
that night the Boy awakened more than once to hear his companion
groaning and tossing in his sleep。 Corney arose as usual in the morning
and fed the horses； but lay down again while the sisters got breakfast。 He
roused himself by an effort and went back to work； but came home early。
He was trembling from head to foot。 It was hot summer weather； but he
could not be kept warm。 After several hours a reaction set in and Corney
was in a high fever。 The family knew well now that he had the dreaded
chills and fever of the backwoods。 Margat went out and gathered a lapful
of pipsissewa to make tea； of which Corney was encouraged to drink
copiously。
But in spite of all their herbs and nursing the young man got worse。 At
the end of ten days he was greatly reduced in flesh and incapable of work；
so on one of the 〃well days〃 that are usual in the course of the disease he
said：
〃Say； gurruls； I can't stand it no longer。 Guess I better go home。 I'm
well enough to drive to…day； for a while anyway； if I'm took down I'll lay
in the wagon； and the horses will fetch me home。 Mother'll have me all
right in a week or so。 If you run out of grub before I come back take the
canoe to Ellerton's。〃
So the girls harnessed the horses； the wagon was partly filled with hay；
and Corney； weak and white…faced； drove away on the long rough road；
and left them feeling much as though they were on a desert island and
their only boat had been taken from them。
Half a week had scarcely gone before all three of them； Margat； Loo；
and Thor； were taken down with a yet more virulent form of chills and
fever。
Corney had had every other a 〃well day；〃 but with these three there
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were no 〃well days〃 and the house became an abode of misery。
Seven days passed； and now Margat could not leave her bed and Loo
was barely able to walk around the house。 She was a brave girl with a fund
of drollery which did much toward keeping up all their spirits； but her
merriest jokes fell ghastly from her wan； pinched face。 Thor； though weak
and ill； was the strongest and did for the others； cooking and serving each
day a simple meal； for they could eat very little； fortunately； perhaps； as
there was very little； and Corney could not return for another week。
Soon Thor was the only one able to rise； and one morning when he
dragged himself to cut the little usual slice of their treasured bacon he
found； to his horror； that the whole piece was gone。 It had been stolen；
doubtless by some wild animal； from the little box on the shady side of the
house； where it was kept safe from flies。 Now they were down to flour and
tea。 He was in despair； when his eye lighted on the Chickens about the
stable； but what's the use？ In his feeble state he might as well try to catch a
Deer or a Hawk。 Suddenly he remembered his gun and very soon was
preparing a fat Hen for the pot。 He boiled it whole as the easiest way to
cook it； and the broth was the first really tempting food they had had for
some time。
They kept alive for three wretched days on that Chicken； and when it
was finished Thor again took down his gunit seemed a much heavier gun
now。 He crawled to the barn； but he was so weak and shaky that he missed
several times before he brought down a fowl。 Corney had taken the rifle
away with him and three charges of gun ammunition were all that now
remained。
Thor was surprised to see how few Hens there were now； only three or
four。 There used to be over a dozen。 Three days later he made another raid。
He saw but one Hen and he used up his last ammunition to get that。
His daily routine now was a monotony of horror。 In the morning；
which was his 〃well time；〃 he prepared a little food for the household and
got ready for the night of raging fever by putting a bucket of water on a
block at the head of each bunk。 About one o'clock； with fearful regularity；
the chills would come on； with trembling from head to foot and chattering
teeth； and cold； cold； within and without。 Nothing seemed to give any
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warmthfire seemed to have lost its power。 There was nothing to do but to
lie and shake and suffer all the slow torture