FOXES AND SNOW-SHOES 195 



lie Avas really awake, and then managed to wake Rap 

 to share in his astonishment. The Porcupine was 

 singing ! ^ 



'^ What is it, and where did it come from?" whispered 

 Ivap, onl)' dimly conscious of where he was, 

 . Nat wliispered back all he knew of the matter. 



" It must be the tame Porcupine from the shed that 

 crept out when Nez went to put back the Fox and the 

 Coon," said Rap, who was quick to draw conclusions, 

 '' so I don't think he'll hurt us ; but I never knew be- 

 fore that they could sing like that ! " 



The Porcupine's song was indeed very strange. At 

 first it sounded like a particularly happy tea kettle, 

 abrim with boiling water ; then it began to rise and 

 fall, having some quite musical notes, finally dying 

 away, blending with the whistling of the Avind. 



By this time somebody stirred in the opposite corner. 

 Nez tumbled up, Avith the instinct of a woodsman, to 

 put more wood on the fire, so that Nat ventured to call 

 his father. 



"A Porcupine I Nonsense! Where?" shouted Mr. 

 Blake, not over Avilling to come out of his blankets. 



'' The stories in your head and the fried Squirrel in 

 your stomach have made a plan between them to give 

 you some dreams ! " 



" Really no, daddy. Rap is awake and has seen it too, 

 and Ave've heard it sing. Oh, be careful, it's coming 

 doAvn again! " 



EA^ery one Avas aAvake now. Toinette and the little 

 boys peeped in from their part of the cabin, Nez lighted 



1 The author is indebted to Mr. Abbott H. Thayer and Dr. E. A. 

 Mearns for information regarding- the habits of Porcupines. 



