114 EYE-BEAMS 



We remained motionless for some time, but he 

 did not reappear. Our presence had made him 

 suspicious, and he was going to wait awhile. 

 Then I removed some dry leaves and exposed 

 his doorway, a small, round hole, hardly as 

 large as the chipmunk makes, going straight 

 down into the ground. We had a lively curi- 

 osity to get a peep into his larder. If he had 

 been carrying in mice at this rate very long his 

 cellars must be packed with them. With a 

 sharp stick I began digging into the red clayey 

 soil, but soon encountered so many roots from 

 near trees that I gave it up, deciding to return 

 next day with a mattock. So I repaired the 

 damages I had done as well as I could, replaced 

 the leaves, and we moved off. 



The next day, which was mild and still as 

 usual, I came back armed, as I thought, to un- 

 earth the weasel and his treasures. I sat down 

 where we had sat the day before and awaited 

 developments. I was curious to know if the 

 weasel was still carrying in his harvest. I had 

 sat but a few minutes when I heard again the 

 rustle in the dry leaves, and saw the weasel 

 coming home with another mouse. I observed 

 him till he had made three trips; about every 

 six or seven minutes, I calculated, he brought in 

 a mouse. Then I went and stood near his 

 hole. This time he had a fat meadow-mouse. 

 He laid it down near the entrance, went in and 

 turned around, and reached out and drew the 

 mouse in after him. That store of mice I am 

 bound to see, I thought, and then fell to with 



