THE BANK VOLE 



began to push and poke the soil into place with 

 her nose, just as a dog does when it is burying 

 a bone. Then the little bank vole stopped, 

 looking towards the nest and listening with 

 pricked ears, but the others were still quiet, so 

 off she ran, picked up an empty nutshell, and 

 brought it to the heap. Next she found the 

 skin of a sweet chestnut, then two or three 

 other odds and ends, and so she worked on, 

 busily adding to the pile which was to keep her 

 precious piece of nut safe from the other voles ; 

 but at last there came a stir and rustle from the 

 sleeping-place, at which she darted away from 

 the heap, scurrying to the opposite side of the 

 cage, where she sat up and washed her face in 

 the most innocent way. At lightning speed 

 her paws passed over her head, and down her 

 body, after which, as the other mice came out, 

 she strolled quietly to the nest hole, seeming as 

 if she said, ' There is nothing to interest you 

 two out here ! ' 



Alas ! no sooner had the little vole gone 

 home to rest, than the biggest mouse began 

 to sniff about the cage, his keen nose reading 

 the tale of what had been done. He smelt the 

 heap over carefully, began to scratch at its 

 side, and in less time than it takes to tell had 



c 33 



