d, by a peculiar motion, that it dreaded some enemy
from above. And this was the fact, for high up and directly over the
tree, a large bird of prey was seen circling in the air.

"Hold!" whispered Lucien, laying his hand upon Basil's arm--"hold,
brother! it is the red-tailed hawk. See, he is going to swoop down.
Let us watch him."

Basil lowered his rifle, and all three stood waiting. A leafy branch
was over their heads, so that the bird did not see them, or, intent upon
striking his prey, did not care for their presence at the moment.

Lucien had scarcely spoken, when the hawk, that had hitherto been
sailing with his broad wings expanded, suddenly narrowed his tail, drew
in his wings, and came down with a loud "whish-sh-sh!" He dropped
almost perpendicularly, grazing the squirrel so closely, that all three
looked for it in his talons as he flew off again. Not so, however. The
squirrel had been upon his guard; and, as the hawk swooped down, had
doubled around the tree with the quickness of a flash of lightning. By
the guidance of his rudder-like tail the hawk soon turned, and flew
round to that side of the tree on which the squirrel had now settled. A
few strokes of his powerful wings soon enabled him to reach the proper
elevation; and again he swooped downward at his intended victim. The
squirrel avoided him as before, and came back on the other side of the
trunk. Again the hawk doubled, rose, darted downward at his prey,
missed it, and swept on. A fourth attempt met with like success, and
the bird once more flew back into the air, but still kept circling over
the tree.

"It's a wonder old foxy doesn't take to another tree," muttered
Francois; "one with branches enough to shelter him, or to his own tree
where his hole is. There he would be safe."

"That's exactly what he wishes to do," replied Lucien. "But see! his
enemy is directly over him. There's no tree near enough, and if he
attempted to run along the open ground, the hawk would be down upon him
like a shot. You saw how suddenly he dropped before?"

This was, in fact, the situation in which the squirrel was. It was
evident he regarded the trees at some distance with a wistful and
anxious look; for, although he had succeeded so far in baffling his
enemy, he still appeared to suffer from suspense and fear.

As soon as the hawk had risen a dozen yards or so above the tree, he
again commenced wheeling in circles, uttering a strange cry as he fl