they’ were’ making.-. Up among the big trees 
near by, however, the male would make many 
low queer sounds as if he were saying sweet 
words to her and she would reply in little squeaky 
tones as if asking if he really meant all those nice 
things he was saying. 
All went well until the four spotted eggs were 
laid, and then one day when they were not 
looking, a red squirrel came running along the 
limb and saw the nest. He looked about and, 
seeing no one near, stooped quickly down and 
bit a hole in first one and then another of the eggs 
until all were broken. While he was eating one 
of them Robin Hood came home. With a fear- 
ful scream he rushed at the furry robber. The 
squirrel ran out to the end of a dead limb, jumped 
to another tree, crossed this, and sprang to the 
fence. Shouting at the top of his voice, Robin 
Hood followed. On the fence he had a fair 
chance to peck his enemy and swooped low 
along the top rail. Whether he tried to light 
and his foot slipped, or whether a leg was 
hanging down too far does not matter, but in 
some way his foot caught under a long splinter 
95 
