32 STORIES OF EARTH AND SKY 



aloud. "It will be full moon to-night, I heard 

 father say, and I wonder if there is to be a spring 

 Forest Circus. If there is, I can't see it, because 

 little Oo-oo, the Screech Owl, said a House Per- 

 son can never go to this Circus but once." 



" Mistress," whispered Waddles, " don't you see 

 those lovely Rabbits? I haven't had a good run 

 since before the great snow, mayn't I take one 

 now?" and Waddles gave a little bay of sup- 

 pressed emotion. 



" Hush ! yes, run anywhere you like, away from 

 here. There goes a big Rabbit downhill," said 

 Anne, well knowing that Bunnie would have a 

 perfectly safe start of the hound. 



" What is all this about ; is there to be a party 

 here?" asked Anne of Adjidaumo, the Red Squir- 

 rel, who kept dropping hickory-nut shells on her 

 head. 



" It's the first event of the year for the Bird, 

 Beast, and Flower Brothers," explained Adjidau- 

 mo, stopping to turn a nut in his paws as his teeth 

 sought the best spot for gnawing. 



" Yes," said Anne, eagerly ; " what is it called, 

 and what happens ? " 



" It's called the Gathering of the Clans, and 

 the Ruffed Grouse gives the Spring Signal," 

 whispered the Squirrel. 



