CHAPTER VII.

THE COURTIERS.

THE next morning passed quickly, Bevis having so much to do. Hur-hur, the pig, asked him to dig

up some earth-nuts for him with his knife, for the ground was hard from the heat of the sun, and he could not thrust his snout in. Then Pan, the spaniel, had to be whipped very severely because he would not climb a tree; and so the morning was taken up. After the noontide heat had decreased, Bevis again started, and found his way by the aid of the oak to the corner of the wheat-field. The dragon-fly was waiting for him with a message from the Hare, saying that she had been invited to a party on the hills, so the dragon-fly would guide him into the

copse.

Flying before him, the dragon-fly led the way, often going a long distance ahead, and coming back in a minute, for he moved so rapidly it was not possible for Bevis to keep pace with him, and he was

L

There

too restless to stand still. Bevis walked carefully over the bridge, holding to the rail, as the Toad had told him; and passing the thistles, and the grass, and the ferns, came to the piece of timber. he sat down to rest, while the dragon-fly played to and fro, now rising to the top of the trees, and now darting down again, to show off his dexterity. While he was sitting there a crow came along and looked at him hard, but said nothing; and immediately afterwards a jackdaw went over, remarking what a lovely day it was.

"Now take me to the raspberries," said Bevis; and the dragon-fly, winding in and out the trees, brought him to the thicket, showed him the place to creep in, and left, promising to return by-and-by and fetch him when it was time to go home. Bevis, warm with walking in the sunshine, after he had crept into the raspberries, went across and sat down on the moss under the oak; and he had hardly leant his back against the tree than the Squirrel came along on the ground and sat beside him.

"You are just in time, my dear," he said, speaking low and rapidly, and glancing round to see that no one was near; "for there is going to be a

secret council of the courtiers this afternoon, while Kapchack takes his nap; and in order that none of the little birds may play the spy and carry information to the police, Kauc, the crow, has been flying round and driving them away, so that there is not so much. as a robin left in the copse. This is an employment that suits him very well, for he loves to play the tyrant. Perhaps you saw him coming in. And this council is about Kapchack's love affair, and to decide what is to be done, and whether it can be put up with, or whether they must refuse to receive her."

"And who is she?" said Bevis; "you keep on talking, but you do not tell me." The Squirrel pricked up his ears and looked cross, but he heard the people coming to the council, and knew there was no time to be lost in quarrelling, so he did not go off in a pet this time. "The lady is the youngest jay, dear, in the wood; La Schach is her name; she is sweetly pretty, and dresses charmingly in blue and brown. She is sweetly pretty, though they say rather a flirt, and flighty in her ways. She has captivated a great many with her bright colour, and now this toothless old Kapchack-but hush! It is a

terrible scandal.

way, Bevis dear."

I hear them coming; slip this

Bevis went after him under the brambles and the ferns till he found a place in a hollow ash-stole, where it was hung all round with honeysuckle, and then, doing as the Squirrel told him, he sat down, and was quite concealed from sight; while the Squirrel stopped on a bough just over his head, where he could whisper and explain things. Though Bevis was himself hidden, he could see very well; and he had not been there a minute before he heard a rustling, and saw the Fox come stealthily out from the fern, and sit under an ancient hollow pollard close by.

The Stoat came close behind him; he was something like the Weasel, and they say a near relation; he is much bolder than the Weasel, but not one quarter so cunning. He is very jealous, too, of the power the Weasel has got on account of his cunning, and if he could he would strangle his kinsThe Rat could not attend, having very important business at the brook that day, but he had sent the Mouse to listen and tell him all that was said. The Fox looked at the Mouse askance from

man.

the corner of his eye; and the Stoat could not refrain from licking his lips, though it was well understood that at these assemblies all private feelings were to be rigidly suppressed. So that the Mouse was quite safe; still, seeing the Fox's glance, and the Stoat's teeth glistening, he kept very near a little hole under a stole, where he could rush in if alarmed.

"I understood Prince Tchack-tchack was coming," said the Fox, "but I don't see him."

"I heard the same thing," said the Stoat.

very much upset about this business."

"He's

"Ah," said the Fox, "perhaps he had an eye

himself to this beautiful young creature.

Depend

upon it there's more under the surface than we have heard of yet." Just then a message came from the Weasel regretting very much that he could not be present, owing to indisposition, but saying that he quite agreed with all that was going to be said, and that he would act as the others decided, and follow them in all things. This message was delivered by a humble-bee, who having repeated all the Weasel had told him to, went buzzing on among the

thistles.