ARRESTING A SQUIRREL-THIEF. 17 



hewing down the great tree for his boat ; and how the red men must have 

 toiled with their old stone adzes to fell the big logs they needed for their 

 dug-outs! I never understood it before. The hollow heart of this oak 

 was a fraud. It is a frequent occurrence to think a tree sound and find 

 it rotten ; but to think it rotten and find it sound is a thousand times 

 worse. I was a victim of misplaced confidence. At last, however, I 

 thought I had gone deep enough into the undercut, for the gash yawned 

 like a grave, and there seemed to be several bushels of chips. Whether, 

 however, I should have had the pluck to treat myself to a fair rest is un- 

 certain ; but I was saved the trial, and given the needed recreation, by the 

 occurrence of an incident which took us to another part of the grove, and 

 taught us a new lesson in brute kindliness — words that seem to contain a 

 paradox only because we have allowed a perverted notion of things to 

 possess onr minds. 



Upon the large estates in the eastern part of the city are enclosed 

 groves of oak, hickory, chestnut, and other mast-bearing trees — the " Sa- 

 chem's Woods " of the poet, James Hillhouse — where many gray squir- 

 rels rear their families in almost entire security. 



For the dozen or more pairs that inhabit our particular grove the 

 Doctor had put boxes in convenient tree-crotches, which the squirrels at 

 once took possession of. He also hoisted a suspension -bridge between 

 two large trees much frequented by them, and we all have derived a great 

 deal of amusement in watching the antics of the little fellows upon this 

 aerial road. It is sixty-five feet long, swings about twenty feet above the 

 ground, and consists of short poles, wired into a cable. 



Some families of squirrels, however, live in another grove beyond 

 the fence, and make nests in wild fashion of leaves and twigs, lined with 

 leaves and shredded bark. This grove is open to the public, and there the 

 squirrels suffer in spite of all our vigilance : only a small portion of hu- 

 manity have become civilized up to the present time. 



Just as I was giving the last stroke to the finished undercut, I saw my 

 friendly monitor spring to his feet and hasten towards a boy who had 

 just come from the farther grove. Underneath the boy's coat could be 

 heard faint squeakings, and pouncing upon the frightened youth the Doc- 

 tor claimed and instantly received two young squirrels, while the plun- 

 derer took to his heels with the greatest alacrity. 



The little rodents were now in the hands of a well-wisher, but they 

 were orphans and homeless. What could be done with them? In size 

 they were half as large as the adults, but they had hardly been weaned, 

 and were totally innocent of the world. Brought into my friend's big 



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