CHAP, ix A NATURAL NEW ENGLANDER 261 



leaves and look at you with eyes so full of sur- 

 prised innocence that you haven't the heart to 

 scare him by even a loud word. 



Sometimes folks insist upon a closer acquaint- 

 ance, and, capturing a young one, take him into 

 the house. Then the woodchuck does his best to 

 please, and makes a delightful pet, cleanly, teach- 

 able, and not too much inclined to mischief. 



But even a young woodchuck has to settle down 

 and be serious after a while; and his way is to 

 begin by falling in love. This is as easy as falling 

 off a log, and is not the serious part. I shall not 

 pry into the secrets of the rustic courtship, what 

 time the trembling swain invites his shy friend to 

 the summer-garden of mint and plantain at the 

 edge of the orchard ; or when, surprised by canine 

 brigands, he gallantly pushes her behind him into 

 a cave or refuge beneath the old apple roots and, 

 facing the foe, clashes his teeth in fierce defiance 

 until the vagrom dogs retire ; nor, least of all, 

 shall we follow the enamoured two as they steal 

 side by side across the midnight meadow, passing 

 from moonlight to shadow and back into moon- 

 light again, as lovers must, parting the fragrant 

 blossoms, nibbling here a tidbit, and taking there a 

 sip of dew, then hurrying homeward as the golden 

 crescent hangs in the tree-tops, alarmed at the 

 lateness they had forgotten. 



Now life begins as much in earnest as it is pos- 

 sible for a pair of woodchucks to know. This 



