consider it, and left their compliments all round to the masters of the

enterprise. And even when Daniel came to work, as he happened to do this

afternoon, they carried on their own work in its highest form--that of

play--upon the premises they lent him.

Though not very large, it was a lively, punctual, well-conducted, and

pleasant rabbit-warren. Sudden death was avoidable on the part of most

of its members, nets, ferrets, gins, and wires being alike forbidden,

foxes scarcely ever seen, and even guns a rare and very memorable

visitation. The headland staves the southern storm, sand-hills shevelled

with long rush disarm the western fury, while inland gales from north

and east leap into the clouds from the uplands. Well aware of all their

bliss, and feeling worthy of it, the blameless citizens pour forth, upon

a mild spring evening, to give one another the time of day, to gaze

at the labors of men upon the sea, and to take the sweet leisure,

the breeze, and the browse. The gray old conies of curule rank, prime

senators of the sandy beach, and father of the father-land, hold a

just session upon the head borough, and look like brown loaves in the

distance. But these are conies of great mark and special character, full

of light and leading, because they have been shot at, and understand how

to avoid it henceforth. They are satisfied to chew very little bits of

stuff, and particular to have no sand in it, and they hunch their round

backs almost into one another, and double up their legs to keep them

warm, and reflect on their friends' gray whiskers. And one of their

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