A HERMIT'S WILD FRIENDS 



caught trespassing by Tiny. When Tiny 

 approaches through the tree-tops and finds 



Aisroar a S( l u ^ rre l * n t ^ ie dooryard, he stops and 



k^ and sounds his war-cry. This cry is long drawn 



~!^y^ out, and is something like the buzzing of an 



old wooden clock when running down and 



striking the hours. After this warning, he 



makes a rush for the interloper, and if he 



catches him the fur flies. 



Tiny had a lively experience with a wharf- 

 rat. The rat was a monster. What caused 

 him to take to the woods is a mystery. Prob- 

 ably he was a rat Christopher Columbus, and 

 had started out to discover a new world. 

 v When he found my dooryard he seemed 



* ^ satisfied. From a rat's standpoint it proved 



to be " a land flowing with milk and honey." 

 Wheat, corn, meat, bird-seeds, with no 

 bloodthirsty human being to make life miser- 

 able. After two days of feasting the big 

 fellow disappeared, to appear again three 

 days later with a mate. Doubtless the sly 

 old rogue thought that he was able to sup- 



238 



