ALONG FOUR-FOOTED TRAILS 



the slat from my bonnet, which he was tearing 

 into small pieces and sat up with his attention 

 centered upon the timid little creature. It 

 seemed as though his heart had stopped beat- 

 ing, he sat so still and motionless, with his 

 sharp little eyes watching every movement of 

 the mouse. The mouse stopped, sniffed the 

 air and waved her whiskers as she turned her 

 head from side to side. As Mongola and I 

 were perfectly motionless she saw nothing that 

 seemed dangerous to her. So she again di- 

 rected her attention to the bountiful meal that 

 was spread before her, crept nearer and began 

 to nibble the grains of wheat. As she moved 

 from kernel to kernel her back was turned to- 

 ward us. Mongola grasped the opportunity 

 and quietly slid down from my shoulder. He 

 stood for a moment on the corner of my apron, 

 then quietly tiptoed across the floor in a dainty, 

 mincing manner. When he was within reach 

 of the mouse he rose on his hind legs, sprang 

 in an instant upon the quivering little creature 

 and grasped it between his paws. A pitiful 

 squeak from the captured mouse and a growl 

 from Mongola brought Snip and the all-curious 

 [190] 



