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azing, he would run forward, stop his own drove, and then driving the others from each side of the path, collect his scattered charge and then go on again. He was several times afterward sent thus alone for the amusement of the curious or the convenience of his master, and always did his work in the same adroit and intelligent manner. [Illustration] LXXVIII THE CATCHER CAUGHT During a sudden flood in the Rhine, a hare, unable to find a way of escape through the water to higher land, climbed up a tree. One of the boatmen rowing about to assist the unfortunate people, seeing her, rowed up to the tree, and, eager for the game, climbed it, without properly fastening his boat. The frightened hare, as its pursuer came near, sprang from the tree into the boat, which thus set in motion, floated away, leaving its owner in the tree in dread of being washed away by the current. After several hours' anxiety, he was seen, and taken off by some of his companions. [Illustration] LXXIX SNAKE DESTROYERS The Indian ichneumon, a small creature, looking like both the weasel and the mongoose, is of great use to the natives because of its great hatred of snakes, which would otherwise make every footstep of the traveller most dangerous. This little creature, on seeing a snake, no matter how large, will instantly dart on it, and seize it by the throat, if he finds himself in an open place, where he has a chance of running to a certain herb, which he some way knows to be an antidote against the poison of the bite, if he should happen to receive one. A gentleman visiting the island of Ceylon saw the experiment tried in a closed room, where the ichneumon, instead of attacking his enemy, did all in his power to avoid him. On being carried out of the house, however, and put near his antagonist in the field, he at once darted at the snake, and soon killed it. It then suddenly disappeared for a few minutes, and again returned as soon as it had found and eaten the herb it knew was an antidote. [Illustration] LXXX MUSICAL MICE "One rainy winter evening, as I was alone in my room," says an American gentleman, "I took up my flute and began to play. In a few minutes my attention was directed to a mouse that I saw creeping from a hole, and coming toward the chair in which I was sitting. I stopped playing, and it ran quickly back to its hole. I began again shortly afterward, and was much surprised to
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