Way-Atcha, the Coon-Raccoon = penn, 
amt, aoe! 
was only one place to climb it safely: that was i “@ 
where the two cracks made it possible to get claw- Re oy 
holds well apart. Mother went first to show the S& 4 
way, and the youngsters followed behind. 
Everything was new and surprising to them, 7 s- 
everything had to be smelt and handled, stones, wut A 
logs, grass, the ground, the mud, and, above all ? 
things, the water. The bright uncatchable water ¥ 
was puzzling to all except of course Way-atcha 
who knew, or thought he knew it, already. 
The youngsters were full of glee, they chased 
each other along logs and tumbled each other into 
little holes, but mother had brought them for 
something more serious. They had to get their 
first lesson in earning a living, and this she gave 
them mainly by example. 
Have you ever seen a Coon feeding? His way 
is to stand by a pool, put in both hands, groping 
in the mud with quick and sensitive fingers, hunt- 
ing for frogs, fish, crabs, etc., while his eyes rove 
the woods far and near, right and left, to look for 
other chances or to guard against possible enemies. 
This was mother’s way, and the youngsters looked 
on, more interested in the catch than in the mode. 
Then they crowded up close to see better, which 
meant they lined up along the water’s edge. It 
was so natural to put their hands in the water that 
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