THE LOPPING OF THE WAYWARD BRANCH
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CURIOSITY may be the trail to knowledge, but it skirts a dangerous
cliff. The Rose moon, June, was on the hills, its thrill joy set the
whole wood world joy-thrilling. The Bannertail family had frolicked in a
game of tag-and-catch all around the old Hawk nest, and up the long
smooth pole went Cray to show that he could do it. His mother warned
him, "_Quare!_" but up he went, and down he came without a hint of
failure. Then they scattered, scampering for a game of hide-and-seek,
when the heavy sound of some big brute a-coming was wind-borne to them.
The mother gave the warning "_Chik_." Three of them quickly got to the
safe old nest. Silvergray flattened on the up side of a rugged limb;
Cray, seeing nothing near, and scoffing at their flurry, made for a big
crotch into which he could sink from sight if need be, and waited. In
vain his mother cried, "_Chik_"; Cray wouldn't "_chik_"; he wanted to
know what it was all about. The heavy trampling sound came near.
Silvergray peeped over and could see very well; it was the two-legged
Brute with the yellow yapping four-legs that she more than once had met
before. They rambled slashingly around; the Yap-cur eagerly wagging his
hideous tail. He swung his black snout in the air, gave out a long
"_Yap!_" another and another. Then the Two-legs came slowly nearer,
staring up into the rooftrees and moving awkwardly sidewise round and
round the tree. Cray peered out farther to watch him. In vain the
wise little mother Squirrel whispered "_Chik, chik!_" No, he would not
"_chik_." As the Ground-brute circled the tree, Cray, trying to keep him
in sight, quit all attempt at hiding. The yellow four-legs yapped
excitedly. Then the big Ground-brute held very still. Cray was amused at
this; he felt so safe that he called out a derisive "_Qua!_" There was a
loud sound like thunder, a flash like lightning, and Cray fell headlong,
splashing the gold-green leaves with his bright, hot young blood. His
mother saw him go with a clutching of her mother heart. And Mother Carey
saw him go, and said: "It had to be." For this is the fulfilling of the
law; this is the upbuilding of the race; this is the lopping of the
wayward branch.
[Illustration: CRAY SANK--A VICTIM TO HIS FOLLY]
[Illustration]
The big Ground-beast below seized on the quivering, warm young body,
and yelled aloud: "Billy, Billee, I got him; a great big Silvergray!
Yahoo!"
But the meaning of that was unknown to the little mother and the rest.
They only knew that a huge, savage Brute had killed their little
brother, and was filling the woods with its hideous blood-curdling
roars.
[Illustration]
_BANNERTAIL FALLS INTO A SNARE_