IN ODD CATLIKf POSITIONS 



a dry sheltered knoll in the South-end. It was 

 open and sloping to the sun, and here on fine 

 days the Cottontails took their sunbaths. 1 hey 

 stretched out among the fragrant pine needles 

 and winter-green in odd cat-like positions, and 

 turned slowly over as though roasting and wish- 

 ing all sides well done. And they blinked and 

 panted, and squirmed as if in dreadful pain ; 

 yet this was one of the keenest enjoyments they 



knew 



Just over the brow of the knoll was a large 

 pine stump. Its grotesque roots wriggled out 

 above the yellow sand-bank like dragons, and 

 under their protecting claws a sulky old wood- 

 chuck had digged a den long ago. He became 

 more sour and ill-tempered as weeks went by, 

 and one day waited to quarrel with Olifant s 

 dog instead of going in so that Molly Cotton- 

 tail was able to take possession of the den an 



hour later. 



This, the pine-root hole, was afterward very 

 coolly taken by a self-sufficient young skunk who 

 * ith less valor might have enjoyed greater lon- 

 gevity, for he imagined that even man with a 

 gun would fly from him. Instead of keeping 



no 



