A Winter-Night's Outing 121 



a few paces, but stood near enough to see if 

 the mice would return. This they did in a 

 few minutes, and, to our unbounded surprise 

 and amusement, more than one sat up on its 

 haunches like a squirrel. They seemed to 

 be so many diminutive human beings about a 

 camp-fire. 



It was a sight to give rise to a pretty fairy 

 tale, and possibly our Indians built up theirs 

 on just such incidents. These mice were, to 

 all appearances, there to enjoy the warmth. 

 There was little running to and fro, no squeak- 

 ing, not a trace of unusual excitement, and, 

 although it was so cold, we agreed to wait 

 as long as the mice saw fit to stay. 



This resolution, however, could not hold. 

 We were getting chilled, and so had to draw 

 near. As we did this, there was a faint 

 squeaking which all noticed, and we concluded 

 that sentinels had been placed to warn the 

 congregated mice of our approach. 



The spirit of adventure was now upon us, 

 and our skates were but the means to other 

 ends than mere sport. What, we thought, 

 of the gloomy nooks and corners where 

 thickets stood well above the ice ? We had 

 shunned these heretofore, but without open 



