106 Tre Aroostook Woops. 

promises them a bird-house for another year, for they are pretty 
and interesting company, and should have a tight roof over 
them for their nesting place. Lastly, but not the least by 
many a chittering chatter, is their ever present company, the 
chickaree ; the red squirrels are constantly saucily scampering 
in and out, and all about their feet, as independent as they 
please, as they have been too much humored. One in partic- 
ular was often in disgrace while the boys were at the 
camp, for his theiving and impudence, and now is carrying 
the Captain’s private mark with him, until his last skip over 
to the happy hunting grounds. For a more serious theft than 
usual, they one day decided he must die, and as he ran up a 
tall spruce, stopping a moment to chatter back at them, the 
Captain fired a rifle shot, cutting off his tail smooth and clean, 
within an inch of his hips. He would not fire again but 
granted him a pardon for all former offences. He is now 
quickly recognized and is known as ‘* Bobby, the thief.” 
After breakfast they decide to make another trip to the lake 
and to go by the way of the old road again, having hopes of 
seeing once more something interesting in the way of large 
game. But they are not as fortunate as the day before, yet 
have a very pleasant trip. Frequently, as they stroll along, 
the joyous, happy drummer is heard, at times very close to 
them, but more often from afar back in the forest. This 
they are pleased to hear as it is an assurance of many birds 
still living, and building their nests to rear flocks of young for 
the fall shooting. | Passing by the knoll upon which stood the 
cow moose the day before, they saw her tracks, which are so 
similar to the domestic cow’s, but she is not to be seen this 
day, apparently. Perhaps standing upon a similar ridge 
many miles away, for like the caribou they are wanderers, 
