158 The Red Squirrel 



in remaining on the outside of my tent, for if I did not 

 appear at what he believed to be the proper time, he 

 might surprise me by coming inside. 



His preparation for coming into the tent must have 

 been a severe strain upon his nervous system. He 

 was on every side of the tent except below it, calling 

 and chattering in the most hilarious manner, seem- 

 ing to say, "I'll come in; I'll come in." When he 

 had finally settled upon a place of entrance, instead 

 of entering it in a stealthy manner, he would rush 

 screaming at it, like a bull at a red flag, stop before 

 it for an instant, and then scamper away and up a 

 tree. Several such attempts were usually made be- 

 fore the chickaree permitted even his head to enter. 

 This accomplished, he would dart back and hold 

 a council of war with himself from a low branch 

 over the tent or ridge pole, apparently trying to 

 determine just how much of his body should be 

 allowed to enter on the next assault. Sometimes a 

 half dozen attempts would be made , before he really 

 got inside. But once in, this boldness would seem 

 to impress him with the fact that it was something 

 unusual in him or in his family, and he would turn 

 tail about, rushing out and up a tree, as if a weasel 

 were in hot pursuit. A nut now dropped near the 

 entrance would seem to assure him that you were 



