214 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



" Oh, yes, I can understand that," said Dodo. 



" When the Squirrel goes to find a nut, he phiys 

 cache-cache then, for that is what French cliildren call 

 hide-and-seek," said Olive, laughing. 



" Wolves all over the world bear very mucli the same 

 character. The Wolf is an emblem of deceit and cun- 

 ning. A Wolf, in the legend, ate Red Riding Hood's 

 ofrandmother and tried to trick the child herself. When 

 it is said of people, ' They have hard Avork to keep 

 the Wolf from the door,' it means that want, or some 

 trouble as cruel and cunning as a Wolf, is threatening 

 them. The Gray AVolf, Avhose skin (the larger of the 

 two) lies there on the floor, is, next to the Grizzly Bear, 

 the most cruel and desperate of our fourfoots. Yet he 

 is a coward ; if lie were not he would have given battle 

 to the death to thousands of the pioneers who, as it Avas, 

 struggled inch by inch in face of desperate dangers to 

 settle this country. Wli}^ the AVolf is such a coAvard 

 no one knows ; but, fortunately, he is, or his race Avould 

 not yet have been driven back until even the sight of 

 a Wolf, except in a part of the AVest from Texas to 

 North Dakota, is a great rarity." 



" If this old AVolf skin could only tell Avhat it knows, 

 the story Avould not be a dull one. Look at it there, 

 Avith its lojig l)ristling gray and black hair, brindled 

 Avith traces of an under-color of yellowish broAA^n at its 

 base. The under-fur is soft brown, Avhile on the belly 

 both hair and fur are Avhite. There is a bit of buff also 

 about its face, ears, and flanks. See its black Avhiskers, 

 the slantAvise eye holes, pointed ears, and straight, bushy 

 tail. 



'' The body and head are both long. This AVolf 



