158 The Red Squirrel 
in remaining on the outside of my tent, for if I did not 
appear at what he believed to be the proper time, he 
might surprise me by coming inside. 
His preparation for coming into the tent must have 
been a severe strain upon his nervous system. He 
was on every side of the tent except below it, calling 
and chattering in the most hilarious manner, seem- 
ing to say, “Vllcome in; Til come in.” ~ When he 
had finally settled upon a place of entrance, instead 
of entering it in a stealthy manner, he would rush 
screaming at it, like a bull at a red flag, stop before 
it for an instant, and then scamper away and up a 
tree. Several such attempts were usually made be- 
fore the chickaree permitted even his head to enter. 
This accomplished, he would dart back and hold 
a council of war with himself from a low branch 
over the tent or ridge pole, apparently trying to 
determine just how much of his body should be 
allowed to enter on the next assault. Sometimes a 
half dozen attempts would be made before he really 
got inside. But once in, this boldness would seem 
to impress him with the fact that it was something 
unusual in him or in his family, and he would turn 
tail about, rushing out and up a tree, as if a weasel 
were in hot pursuit. A nut now dropped near the 
entrance would seem to assure him that you were 
