XIII 
Gin Elecount with Wlature 
THERE were chipmunks everywhere. The stone 
walls squeaked with them. At every turn, from early 
spring to early autumn, a chipmunk was scurrying 
away from you. Chipmunks were common. They 
did no particular harm, no particular good ; they did 
nothing in particular, being only chipmunks and 
common, until one morning (it was June-bug time) I 
stopped and watched a chipmunk that sat atop the 
stone wall down inthe orchard. He was eating, and 
the shells of his meal lay in a little pile upon the big 
flat stone which served as his table. 
They were acorn shells, I thought, yet June 
seemed rather early in the season for acorns, and 
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