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but just set up housekeeping in a conven- 

 ient hollow of the big, bending oak. Life 

 has so far meant to them a summer of buds 

 and berries and milky corn and green, ten- 

 der nuts, with sleep in a leaf cradle rocked 

 by summer winds, and morning scampers 

 through seas of dew - wet boughs. Only 

 glimmering instinct tells them of imminent 

 deadly change. What wonder that they 

 make ready against it in such light-hearted, 

 haphazard fashion ! Now they cease their 

 scamper, and drop down to earth, burrow- 

 ing daintily in its deep leaf carpet ! One 

 rises upon his haunches with a nut in his 

 jaws. The other darts to seize it, and for 

 a minute the two roll over and over, a furry 

 ball with two waving, plumy tails. It flies 

 swiftly apart ; the finder hops upon a rotting 

 tree trunk to chatter malicious triumph. His 

 mate scurries up likewise, and sits dejected 

 a foot away as his sharp teeth pierce the 

 hull. She has quite given up the contest, 

 and is sore-hearted over it. Nuts are plen- 

 ty, indeed, but surely her new husband need 

 not show such selfish pride in the first find. 

 Presently she creeps past him to the log's 

 other end. He looks sharply after her, out 

 of the corner of his eye, then darts to her 

 side, pats her lightly betwixt the ears, and 



