204 EVERYDAY ADVENTURES 
‘This one is James,’’ announced Mr. Prindle, as 
the first chipmunk hurried across the porch toward 
his chair. “His full name is James William Francis,” 
he explained, “after a second-cousin of mine who 
looked a good deal like him. I generally call him 
James for short. The other two are Nip and Tuck,” 
he went on. “Old Bill will be along in a minute. 
You see,”’ he continued, “‘he’s an old bachelor and 
lives all by himself quite a ways off.” 
“What about James?”’ inquired Honey. 
‘““He’s been a widower,” said Mr. Prindle, sadly, 
“ever since his wife stayed out one day to get a good 
look at a hawk.”’ 
As he spoke, another chipmunk came around the 
end of the porch and hastened to join the other three. 
*Here’s Bill now,’’ announced Mr. Prindle. 
Then the old man reached into his pocket and took 
out a handful of butternuts and gave two to each of 
the Band. 
“Hold one in your closed hand and the other 
between your thumb and finger where they can see 
it,’’ he advised them. 
A moment later there was a chorus of delighted 
squeals. Each chipmunk had run up and taken the 
nut which was in sight, and was burrowing and 
scrabbling with soft little paws and sniffling little 
noses into four sets of clenched fingers, in an attempt 
to secure the other hidden nuts. When the last of 
them had disappeared, looking as if he had an attack 
of mumps, the Band thanked Mr. Prindle and 
started for home. 
