WILDWOOD WAYS 



through the wood on such a day in De- 

 cember may read them. 



Standing in the spring-like warmth at 

 the pond outlet and looking down the line 

 where bog meets water I can count the 

 dark peaks of the muskrat teepees, reced- 

 ing like a coast range toward the other 

 shore. The muskrats have built higher 

 than common this year, because, I fancy, 

 they expect 'much water, having had it 

 low all summer and fall. Some of them 

 are half as high as I am and must have 

 cost tremendous labor in tearing out the 

 marsh roots and sods and collecting 

 them thus in pyramidal form. Their 

 roads run hither and yon across the bog 

 and are so well travelled that the travel- 

 lers must be numerous as well as active. 

 They have laid in a store of lily roots 

 and sweet-flag for the winter, and their 

 underwater entrances lead upward to 

 18 



