The second night of the captivity I heard the rattle of the chain, and then made out that the old fox was there, hard at work digging a hole by the little one’s kennel.  When it was deep enough to half bury her, she gathered into it all the slack of the chain, and filled it again with earth.  Then in triumph thinking she had gotten rid of the chain, she seized little Tip by the neck and turned to dash off up the woodpile, but alas only to have him jerked roughly from her grasp.

Poor little fellow, he whimpered sadly as he crawled into his box.  After half an hour there was a great outcry among the dogs, and by their straight-away tonguing through the far woods I knew they were chasing Vix.  Away up north they went in the direction of the railway and their noise faded from hearing.  Next morning the hound had not come back.  We soon knew why.  Foxes long ago learned what a railroad is; they soon devised several ways of turning it to account.  One way is when hunted to walk the rails for a long distance just before a train comes.  The scent, always poor on iron, is destroyed by the train and there is always a chance of hounds being killed by the engine.  But another way more sure, but harder to play, is to lead the hounds straight to a high trestle just ahead of the train, so that the engine overtakes them on it and they are surely dashed to destruction.

This trick was skilfully played, and down below we found the mangled remains of old Ranger and learned that Vix was already wreaking her revenge.

That same night she returned to the yard before Spot’s weary limbs could bring him back and killed another hen and brought it to Tip, and stretched her panting length beside him that he might quench his thirst.  For she seemed to think he had no food but what she brought.

It was that hen that betrayed to my uncle the nightly visits.

My own sympathies were all turning to Vix, and I would have no hand in planning further murders.  Next night my uncle himself watched, gun in hand, for an hour.  Then when it became cold and the moon clouded over he remembered other important business elsewhere, and left Paddy in his place.

But Paddy was “onaisy” as the stillness and anxiety of watching worked on his nerves.  And the loud bang! bang! an hour later left us sure only that powder had been burned.

In the morning we found Vix had not failed her young one.  Again next night found my uncle on guard, for another hen had been taken.  Soon after dark a single shot was heard, but Vix dropped the game she was bringing and escaped.  Another attempt made that night called forth another gun-shot.  Yet next day it was seen by the brightness of the chain that she had come again and vainly tried for hours to cut that hateful bond.

Such courage and stanch fidelity were bound to win respect, if not toleration.  At any rate, there was no gunner in wait next night, when all was still.  Could it be of any use?  Driven off thrice with gun-shots, would she make another try to feed or free her captive young one?