front paws, striking it up, catching it, and 



rolling it around his neck and under his 



body, as a child does who has but one play- tfMfffe Brother 



thing. Some of the other coons joined him, ^ 



and the little crooked knot went whirling 



back and forth between them, was rolled and 



caught, and hidden and found again, all 



in silent intentness and with a pleasure that 



even in the twilight was unmistakable. 



In the midst of this quiet play there came 

 a faint ripple and splash of water, and the little 

 coons dropped their plaything and stood listen- 

 ing, eyes all bright behind their dark goggles, 

 noses wiggling, and ears cocked at the plash- 

 ing on the pond shore. The mother was there 

 diligently sousing something that she had 

 caught ; and presently she appeared and the 

 little ones forgot their play in the joy of eating. 

 But it was too far away and the shadows were 

 now too dark to see what it was that she had 

 brought home, and how she divided it among 

 them. When she went away again it had grown 

 dark enough for safety, and the young followed 

 her in single file to the pond shore, where I 

 soon lost them among the cool shadows. 



