72 THE BOOK OF A NATURALIST 



tion to take instantly the one line by which it may 

 be saved. 



The boat went swiftly on, driven by the rushing 

 tide, until it reached the quay at Wells, and no 

 sooner did the keel touch the stones at the landing- 

 stage than down the squirrel flew from the mast- 

 top, and rushing to the bow, took a flying leap 

 to the land, then dashed off toward the town at 

 topmost speed. A number of children playing on 

 the quay saw him, and with a wild cry of " Squirrel! 

 squirrel! " went after him. Luckily there was no 

 dog about; and the squirrel being faster than the 

 boys, kept well ahead, and, dodging this way and 

 that among coal-trucks and wagons and horses, 

 and men occupied in unloading, got through them 

 all, then crossing the lower or coast road, dashed 

 into one of the wynds or narrow streets which run 

 up to the higher part of the town. There more 

 yelling children joined the hunt, and the people of 

 the wynd ran out of their houses to find out what 

 all the uproar was about. 



The wynd ends at the upper street, and facing it 

 is a long brick wall ten feet high, and up this wall 

 went the squirrel without a pause or slip, as 

 swiftly as when going over the level earth, and 

 disappeared over the top into the orchard on the 

 other side. There the loud advancing wave of 

 young barbarians was stayed by the wall, as by an 

 ocean-facing cliff. 



It had been a dashing performance, and the 

 squirrel could now have settled safely down in that 



