“Why do they do that?” asked little Luke of Father Wa-poose, who had come back and was sitting quietly beside him.

“They do that,” answered the old rabbit, “to get a clear look all around them.  You know we always have to be on the lookout for our foes.”

Not far from little Luke two rabbits were having a boxing match.  They stood up to each other just like men.  Little Luke could hear a soft spat, spat, spat, as the blows went home.  Their paws were so soft that the blows did not hurt and it was great fun.

Suddenly thump! thump! thump! sounded the danger signal again.  Not for nothing this time!  Ko-ko-ka the Great Owl came sailing over the clover field as silently as a ghost.  But for all his great eyes, the old owl could not see a single rabbit.  Neither could little Luke.

“Where have they all gone to?” he asked Father Wa-poose.

“Oh,” said he, “they’re all there.  So long as they sit perfectly still old Ko-ko-ka can’t see them.”

“Why didn’t they run away?” asked little Luke.

[Illustration]

“What’s the use?” replied the old rabbit; “so long as we know he is coming, we aren’t afraid of Ko-ko-ka.  If he should swoop at one of them, he’d just give a bound and get out of danger.  Old Ko-ko-ka can’t catch a rabbit who knows he’s coming.  It’s the way he comes that makes us fear him.  His wings are covered with down and do not make a sound.  That’s the reason we all dread him so.  Ugh!  I fairly shiver when I think of him.  He nearly got me once.  His sharp claws scratched my ears.”

Ko-ko-ka was very hungry.  He knew the rabbits were in that meadow, and hated to go off without one.  While Wa-poose had been talking, he had been sailing slowly round the field.  Now he was coming back again.

As he flew over little Luke’s head he looked down.  Perhaps he saw a slight movement as little Luke tried to look up at him.  Instantly he swooped and his sharp claws struck the little boy’s hat.

“Hi, there!” said little Luke in astonishment.  It was Ko-ko-ka’s turn to be astonished now.  He dropped the hat, flapped his great wings, and floated off towards the woods.

Little Luke left his hat where it fell and waited to see what the rabbits would do.  After a short time the fun began again.  There were two young ones that little Luke noticed in particular.  They began their race in the middle of the field.  Round and round they went and each time round their circles became larger.

Now on the other side of the clover field there was an open gap in the fence.  All at once the danger signal sounded again.  Thump! thump! thump!  Again every rabbit squatted, with ears and eyes alert to catch sound or sight of an enemy.

It was too late.  Through the gate bounded a ball of reddish, yellow fur.  Snap!  And the teeth of Kee-wuk the Red Fox had seized one of the young rabbits by the neck.  Swinging the limp body over his shoulders, he trotted quietly off through the gap.