The Fox followed, snarling, and snapping, and appearing very angry. The more he played, the more the Fox snarled and snapped. At last the animal became furious, all the hair on its back stood on end, and it began to make short runs with its mouth open at the young musician. It sprang upon him! He was terrified! He dropped his song and his concertina at the same moment, and scrambled up the nearest tree. The Fox's fury then knew no bounds; he trampled on the concertina, he bit it, he tore open the bellows, and having reduced it to a shapeless mass, bore it away to his hole. When the coast was quite clear, FRANK descended, and slunk home. The next morning one of the keepers found a dead fox. It had apparently died of suffocation, as sixteen ivory concertina-stops were found in its throat. FRANK now has entirely ceased to believe in Ancient Mythology, and has been even heard to hint that he considers Dr. LEMPRIÈRE a bit of a humbug. * * * * * "LOST TO SIGHT, TO MEMORY DEAR."--An animal very difficult to secure again when once off ... and that is ... "a pony," when you've lost it on Newmarket Heath. * * * * * LETTERS TO ABSTRACTIONS. NO. IX.--TO CROOKEDNESS. I dispense with all formal opening, and I begin at once. I want to tell you a story. Don't ask me why; for, even if I answered the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, you would hardly believe me. Let me merely say that I want to tell you a story, and tell it without much further preface. [Illustration]