THE SPOTTED SKUNK 287 



is often referred to by cowboys and prospectors 

 as the "hydrophobia" or "phobie skunk"] 

 what would n't play with you if it just had a 

 good chance. They get tame just like a kitten, 

 and it's no time until they're crawlin' all over 

 you trying to make you play with 'em. Onc't 

 I had a little cabin made of palm logs and it 

 was n't very extra built, so that it had a num- 

 ber of cracks in it. Now it beats all how them 

 little phobie cats can get through a crack. I 

 had n't been sleeping inside many nights until 

 I had a visit from a skunk. She came through a 

 crack in the back end of the house every night 

 after that at just about dark. I got to feedin' 

 her bacon scraps, and the first thing I knew she 

 was lettin' me pat her a bit and stroke her soft 

 hair. She used to like to crawl upon my head 

 and down on my shoulder — and then jump, 

 she would, square into my lap, and then race up 

 my arm to the top of my head again. A feller's 

 hair gets powerful long a-stayin' out in the 

 desert with no barbers around, and that little 

 skunk used to like to come in when I was layin' 

 down on my bed and then play with my locks. 

 And when she had a batch of little kittens, 



