The Kangaroo Rat 



in this case there happened to be nine direct 

 approaches to this Perodipus's citadel. Another 

 might have had three, or yet another twenty- 

 three entries, according to the needs of its 

 owner or the locality. 



Over each of the nine holes was a strong, 

 spine-armed sentinel forever on guard and ab- 

 solutely unbuyable, so that if at any time the 

 Coyote— the Satan of the little prairie-folk— 

 should appear among the moonlight dancers, 

 each could dash homeward and enter by a handy 

 door, sure that there would be standing by that 

 door a fearless, well-armed warden, who would 

 say to the Coyote, in a language he would well un- 

 derstand, " Stop ! Keep off, or I'll spear you ! " 



And I feel very sure now that if an accident 

 had opened a new approach, say in the direc- 

 tion of A, the wise little creature would also 

 have made a handy door there for his own use. 

 The Spanish bayonet could also keep the cattle 

 and other heavy animals from trampling the 

 mound, and when at night the Perodipus was 

 making a dash for home with some fleet foe 

 behind him, the tall, dark form of the friendly 

 bayonet would be his landmark in the uncertain 



243 



