290 DENIZENS OF THE DESERT 



"The skunk now began the most ludicrous 

 set of contortions and dances, stamping and 

 alternately pounding its feet on my breast and 

 rattling and playing with those dry pelts above 

 me. It would have been nothing but funny had 

 it kept it up only a few minutes, but when a 

 fellow has a skunk thumping his breast for a 

 full half-hour it becomes not only monotonous, 

 but positively nerve-racking. I again stirred 

 underneath the cover hoping that the creature 

 would move off, but the animal was so absorbed 

 in its play with those dried pelts that it paid no 

 attention to my movements at all, keeping up 

 its demoniacal dance just the same. Unable to 

 bear the strain longer, I called to Carl to chase 

 off the creature in some way, but again he only 

 advised me to 'lay low/ But this was now im- 

 possible, and I called to the trappers for aid. 

 Providentially they soon came with a lantern, 

 and the skunk, alarmed by their presence, 

 moved off, her beautiful tail hanging gracefully 

 above her. Before morning she came into the 

 tent again, but did not bother me. When I ex- 

 amined the skins next morning, not a single 

 one was found to be injured or ruffled up in any 



