72 THE BOOK OF A NATURALIST 
tion to take instantly the one line by which it may 
be saved. 
The boat went swiftly on, driven by the rushing 
tide, until it reached the quay at Wells, and no 
sooner did the keel touch the stones at the landing- 
stage than down the squirrel flew from the mast- 
top, and rushing to the bow, took a flying leap 
to the land, then dashed off toward the town at 
topmost speed. A number of children playing on 
the quay saw him, and with a wild cry of “ Squirrel! 
squirrel!” went after him. Luckily there was no 
dog about; and the squirrel being faster than the 
boys, kept well ahead, and, dodging this way and 
that among coal-trucks and wagons and _ horses, 
and men occupied in unloading, got through them 
all, then crossing the lower or coast road, dashed 
into one of the wynds or narrow streets which run 
up to the higher part of the town. There more 
yelling children joined the hunt, and the people of 
the wynd ran out of their houses to find out what 
all the uproar was about. 
The wynd ends at the upper street, and facing it 
is a long brick wall ten feet high, and up this wall 
went the squirrel without a pause or slip, as 
swiftly as when going over the level earth, and 
disappeared over the top into the orchard on the 
other side. There the loud advancing wave of 
young barbarians was stayed by the wall, as by an 
ocean-facing cliff. 
It had been a dashing performance, and the 
squirrel could now have settled safely down in that 
