74 OUR BACKDOOR NEIGHBORS 



the bird, and, catching the mouse, returned to 

 its perch on the post. For once Tommy did 

 not shoot. 



Only that morning he had caught his old cat 

 in the act of killing a young chicken. For days 

 the young chickens had been missing, one after 

 another, and he had blamed it all on the skunks 

 and hawks which the Naturalist had be- 

 friended. Now he had seen with his own eyes 

 the little owl catch the mouse that he had kept 

 the cat to kill. Tommy put down his gun, 

 scratched his head and turned and walked 

 toward the house. Thus was the life of the 

 screech owl saved and the Naturalist vindi- 

 cated. 



