She was very particular about the dust-bath, for she knew it kept lice and other insects from them; and for all Madam Cluck was so cross, she was a very good mother, and dearly loved her children. One night, about a week after the visit of Red Tail, I was awakened by a great noise in the hen-coop.
Madam Cluck was flying about frantically, and the chicks were peeping at the top of their voices. I dressed hurriedly and went out. White-plume was after the chickens; he was an old skunk whom I imagined lived in a brush-heap back of the barn. I had seen Master Frisky chase him into this retreat several times, and almost get him by his bushy tail as he went in.
When I got to the coop the commotion had partly ceased, and no skunk was to be seen, but the odor was unmistakable. I put extra boards against the box, and went back to bed. The next day Madam Cluck and the chicks were very shy, and kept near the coop. There were but eight of them; and on going to the brush-heap, I found one pathetic yellow leg, and there was no mistaking the thief.
The next night I staked boards down around the coop, and set several traps, but in the morning everything was as I had left it. I was rather glad of this; for I hated to catch poor White-plume, who had to live in some way, and was merely getting a late supper; but I preferred that he should live on the worms
