The Story of a Graysquirrel 



through the same. And Silvergray was 



curled up with the three in the new high 



nest for long, before Bannertail, after 



much patient, watchful waiting, seeing no 



return of Silvergray, went swinging to the *■ v - ^ /" 



old nest to peep in, and realized that it fa 



was empty, cold, abandoned. \£&./ ( 



He sat and thought it over. On a high, C^LI 

 sunny perch that he had often used, he jj'^' 



made his toilet, as does every healthy ri 



Squirrel, thoroughly combed his coat and 

 captured all, that is, one or two of the 

 crawlers that had come from the old nest. \ 



He drank of the spring, went foraging for 

 a while, then swung to the new-made • 



nest and shyly, cautiously, dreading a re- 

 buff, went slowly in. Yes, there they 

 were. But would she take him in? He 

 uttered the low, soft, coaxing "Er-er-er- 

 er" which expresses every gentleness in 

 the range of Squirrel thought and feeling. 

 No answer. He made no move, but 



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