“Well, what do you say about it?” demanded Gif.
“I’ll say that it’s something that really ought to be done for the benefit of society at large,” declared Spouter. “Foxes commit all sorts of depredations and everybody knows they forfeit their lives a dozen times or more a year. Besides that, fox skins are valuable. At the same time——” and here Spouter paused. “At the same time, so far as I am concerned that old mother fox can live to take care of her little family.”
“And thus doth the judge render his decision in this court,” quoted Andy solemnly. “Gentlemen of the jury, what is your verdict?”
The verdict was unanimous that a fox was a rascal and a thief and ought to be killed on general principles, but as there was no one on hand who was willing to commit the deed the fox was to go unmolested.
The rain was still coming down steadily, and, not to get soaked, the boys stepped rather gingerly into the living room of the old cabin. Then, with great caution, they closed the doors leading to the other rooms.
“Now if that old fox wants to get at us she’ll have to come around to the front of the building,” said Jack.
“Gosh! what a grand picture that old fox and her young ones would make,” sighed Fred. “I wish we had had a chance to get a picture of the little ones before the mother hove in sight.”
“Well, you be thankful, Fred, that you didn’t get a sample of her teeth in the calf of your leg,” answered Randy. “If she ever started on a rampage I bet she’d be worse than a wildcat.”
Looking from the cabin, the boys saw that the storm was passing. Here and there the blue sky was showing, and presently the rain stopped falling and they saw a bit of sunshine drift across the water-soaked trees and bushes.
“We might as well be going,” declared Jack. “You know these storms have a way of working around and coming back, and we want to make that hunters’ lodge before night if we possibly can.”