124 OUR BACKDOOR NEIGHBORS 



and all its clothes on. They soon found that 

 they had undertaken quite a task, for the little 

 fellow must be fed very often. For a time they 

 gave it nothing but fresh milk, but it was not 

 long until it would eat bread and butter, or a 

 bit of honey in the comb, or a nutmeat, if the 

 boys would crack the shell. 



In the shed they made a warm nest for 

 "Foxy," for that was his name. For a while 

 he slept much of the time, but as he grew older 

 he would spend more time in running about 

 the house. If he chanced to find a piece of 

 cake to his liking, he would seize it and 

 scamper upon a chair or a box and help him- 

 self. In the open air a fence post furnished 

 a very satisfactory dining table. Sometimes 

 he would sit on Freddie's shoulder and nibble 

 away at his stolen dainty, for Freddie and 

 Foxy were very good friends. After a time he 

 tired of a nest which the boys had made for 

 him and built one after his own plans, in a 

 plum tree near the kitchen door. He now 

 lived in the trees like the other squirrels, but 

 he had not forgotten that there were good 

 things to eat in the house. It often happened 

 that when some one opened the door to come 

 in, Foxy would dodge in also. When he 



