126 JEtn^ntn of tt)e ^vttu 



fled up a tall maple, the weasel following 

 ten or fifteen feet behind. 



" Now you have lost him, you blood- 

 thirsty little wretch,'' I thought, for I 

 imagined that the Chatterbox would run 

 to the top of the tree, and then out on a 

 limb and jump to the ground. 



The weasel would follow to the top 

 of the tree, but would not take the jump. 

 A red squirrel can spread himself out flat, 

 and, using his tail as a rudder, come down 

 easily and lightly from almost any height. 

 The weasel who is more rotund falls 

 heavily, and his tail is not bushy enough 

 to make it of any use as a rudder. 



This would all have been as " easy as 

 rolling off* a log " had not the Chatterbox 

 lost his head just as he was at the point 

 of escape, and holed in the tree. A sec- 

 ond later the weasel flashed in after him. 



There was a prolonged and frightened 



