The Adventures of Fleetfoot and Her Fawns

lly, Fleet Foot felt better. And the fawns were

to face the problem of getting

ed the Boy, who was not so skil

he Boy found what he needed. Next they peeled the bark from a chestnut tree, and on this they arranged a mattress of dried moss, then tied it firmly between the

shrank back in fear when the Boy tried laying his hand caressingly on

thing she knew, she was lying on a mound of sweet-smelling dried clover, in a clean stall of that same barn, and there was a pail of water beside her. She roused hersel

a hatful of grass; but her great eyes only searched wistfully through the woodland and meadow before the open door, a

" said the Boy. "Can't we show th

o with Clover Blossom, and she's got to take care of them till their own mother is well again. But that leg will heal quickl

fed, and was even becoming used to the Boy, who brought her food and water every morning and sometimes a few grains of rock salt. Through the bars of the open doorway

t she was anxious to make her escape and search for her babies. Little did she dream, in the confusion of

hy to mingle with the cows and sheep in the pasture lot, th

their own mother back?" the Boy e

ed at his son i

healed as good as new. Thought I'd turn her loose in the pasture to limber up a bit, when-w

Without so much as a thank you!

t isn't it a shame now we di

istfully, for he loved pets. "We could tame them and let

is ever really happy that wa

nd besides, their mother will break he

sooner or later, unless we keep them tied all the time. And then do you know what would ha

some hungry animal might

t is always the young animals that hav

few days later. "Clover Blossom has been giving m

ight," said the Farmer, smiling.

er Blossom had wandered-here over the smooth pine needles, there through the crackling oak leaves, and yo

er long hind legs that could send her over a hazel copse like steel springs! And how goo

for some sign of the little fellows. But she searc

hope. She couldn't make out the little spotted coats so far away, but she did see their red-brown outlines, so tiny beside the cows, and the furtive way th

s heard the little stamp that had always been their mother's signal. "Wait where

other they had thought lost to them. The Boy, tip-toeing back to see what

irst gray light in the east warned her that she must leave them

tamping for the fawns. Then he saw the flash of her white tail signaling for them to follow, and after that, two tinier tails

s. Then-ever so softly, so as not to alarm them-he slipped acros

ning the faw

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