AT THE OUTSET. 13 



and shivering before the empty andirons. It was a long 

 time before he could speak intelligibly, but at last he 

 calmed down sufficiently to tell me his story, 



"While I was waitin' to see what you were goin' to do, 

 I saw you sail out into the air ; and such a yell as that crit- 

 ter gave ! It took me all aback, and 'fore I knew what 

 was comin' the thing struck me on the head. I jumped 

 clear o' my hat, and put for home, but the critter held 

 on. I cleared fence, ditch, and snowbank without touch- 

 in' 'em, so it seemed, and not till I teched the garden-gate 

 did the critter let up. Where it's gone, I don't know." 



"Here it is," I replied, and from Miles's coat-collar 

 I took half a yard of green brier that had been scratch- 

 ing him at every leap. 



Miles looked at the thorny branch a moment in si- 

 lence, and then found courage to whisper, 



"Suppose we don't say anything about this 'coon- 

 hunt?" 



" Suppose we don't ?" I replied, and went home. 



To realize what a wealth of animal and vegetable life 

 is ever at hand for him who chooses to study it, let a 

 specialist visit you for a few days. Do not have more 

 than one at a time, or you may be bewildered by their 

 enthusiasm. 



I have had them come in turn — botanists, concholo- 

 gists, entomologists, microscopists, and even archaeolo- 

 gists. What an array of names to strike terror to the 

 breasts of the timid ; yet they were all human, and 

 talked plain English, and, better than all, were both 

 instructive and amusing. 



