THE SEVEN SLEEPERS 203 
resolution, in which Alice-Palace’s good-time noise 
easily soared like a siren-whistle above all the other 
expressions of assent. 
“Be careful and don’t swallow the holes,” Mr. 
Prindle warned them a few moments later, as he 
brought out a big panful of brownish-red, spicy 
fried cakes cooked in twisted rings. 
The Band promised to use every precaution, and 
there was an adjournment of all other business until 
the pan and the pitcher were alike empty. 
“Are your chipmunks still alive?” queried the 
Captain, as they all sat down on the vast, squatty- 
legged settee next to Mr. Prindle’s rocker. 
“Yes, indeed,” replied the latter, ““they’ve been 
with me nigh on to four years now.” 
Alice-Palace’s eyes became very big. 
“Not Chippy-Nipmunk?”’’she whispered to the 
Captain. 
“Exactly,” replied that official, ‘‘and then some.’ 
Thereafter, at Mr. Prindle’s suggestion, they all 
sat stony-still and mousy-quiet while he made a 
funny little hissing, whistling noise. From under the 
porch there came a scurrying rush, and the two 
bright eyes of a big striped chipmunk popped up over 
the edge of the porch-step. A minute later, from two 
holes in a near-by bank, two other chipmunks dashed 
out. They all had ashy-gray backs, with five stripes 
of such dark brown as to look almost like black. 
Their tails had a black, white-tipped fringe, while 
the gray color of the back changed into clear orange- 
brown on their flanks and legs. 
bd 
