286 DENIZENS OF THE DESERT 



They paid no attention to my intrusion, but 

 went on playing like two kittens. But when I 

 turned over in bed and made the springs squeak 

 and snap, they shot out from under that cot in a 

 hurry and made for the grass tussock. As they 

 went under, they were joined by a third frolic- 

 some companion whose presence I had not 

 suspected, and the three now began a playful, 

 hilarious, spirited skurrying and whisking about 

 under the grass on that half-concealed race- 

 track. This was so ludicrous and ridiculous in 

 its manner that I laughed aloud. Around and 

 around they went, faster and faster, faster and 

 faster, like boys playing tag, until suddenly one 

 of the skunks, possessed of some strange new 

 thought, shot off the grass-sheltered track at a 

 tangent, only to be followed by the others, into 

 the cat's-claw bushes and up the hill. Now I 

 understood the origin of that mysterious grass 

 tunnel and judged by its well-worn appearance 

 that it served as a place of frequent frolics. 



The playfulness of the spotted skunk is well 

 known to all who have observed it much. "I 

 never yet," said an old prospector, "saw a 

 little phobic skunk [the Western spotted skunk 



