54 WAITING IN THE WILDERNESS 



"it feels like a fat pig." He pulled out the pole 

 and looked at the end to see what kind of hair 

 might be sticking to it. Then he went to poling 

 again. I lay down with my ear close to my en- 

 trance hole. There was a clawing inside, and 

 excited, I called, "He's coming out!" 



George came on the jump, pole in hand, to 

 see what HE was. Out rushed a badly fright- 

 ened rabbit. It never occurred to us that there 

 might be something behind this rabbit to give 

 him such a fright. Out came a skunk! He was 

 not at all frightened; but we were. Our poles 

 fell as we jumped back. These fell on or by the 

 skunk. This was too much. A " polecat " should 

 never be pole-prodded. We moved quickly, but 

 the skunk went into action so speedily that we 

 were shelled with skunk gas. 



