266 WILD NEIGHBORS CHAP. 
grass in half an hour, and sleep there just as 
happily as if it had cost a fortnight’s digging.” 
It is too bad that such calm philosophers as this 
should be annoyed by dogs and hunters. Even 
Thoreau, finding a respectable woodchuck engaged 
in its doorway in conversation with some one in- 
side, reached in, seized it by the tail, dragged 
it out, and flung it far down hill. Could any indig- 
nity be greater, or, from that source, more unex- 
pected? Worse than this, some folks, having 
learned it from the aborigines, desire marmot 
skins for mittens, wallets, and the like; and even 
try to catch the poor things in order to eat their 
flesh. 
That the animal is not really spiritless and lazy, 
but deliberately reposeful, is shown by the way that, 
when pursued, he can exert reserve energy to good 
purpose in getting into a place of safety; and hav- 
ing his means of retreat strategically secure, is 
willing and able to give valiant battle. Then the 
chattering and growling of his voice, and the clat- 
tering and gritting of his teeth, make any enemy 
think twice before proceeding to close quarters. 
This gives him time to rush to his castle, into 
which he plunges, flinging scorn and defiance at 
his impotent foes. If a ferret penetrates his de- 
fences, or a man digs them up, he steals from his 
postern gate and hurries to new intrenchments. 
_ Hence in the South, when a person is seen work- 
ing with feverish energy at a hopeless task, men 
