“Don’t you fool yourself,” said George, confidently. “That’s only part of his bluff. His den is right here, and I’m going to find it.”
They began their search all over again, carefully parting bushes, peering under shelving ledges and into crevices between rocks—in fact, any and every place where they thought it might be located. For a long time they were unsuccessful, and they had about made up their minds to abandon the hunt and return to the cabin.
Then George shouted; and, hurrying over to him, Ed saw the entrance to the den. It was in the side of a sandy bank beneath a ridge of yellow pines. About it were tracks, and near-by some signs. The searchers felt sure this was the abode of the crafty animal which had tried by every means in its power to lead them astray.
While they stood there another fox, smaller and paler than the first, rushed from the entrance and dashed away into the woods.
“That’s the mate!” declared Ed, excitedly.
“Must be,” agreed George. “Now’s our chance to get the young ones,” he added, kneeling down and placing his ear to the hole in the bank.
“Can you hear them?” Ed inquired, eagerly.
“Not a sound. I shouldn’t be surprised if the den is a long ways back from the opening. Say, here are some grouse feathers.” And he held up several which they believed had come from the bird whose taking-off they had witnessed.
The boys hardly knew what to do. They did not wish to kill either the old or the young foxes, although they recalled that Ben had declared these animals destructive to game, and therefore a nuisance in the woods. Still, they did not care to murder the sly old fellow and his timid mate, for at that season the pelts were of little or no value, and the destruction of the animals would seem entirely unwarranted. However, they were anxious to possess one or more of the baby foxes. Ben had often told them what admirable pets these little fellows grew to be if taken very young.
At last they decided to dig out the den, take what pups they desired, and leave the rest for the old foxes to remove to a new home, which, according to the guide, they would be sure to do.