Never again would I worry over an impris- 

 oned woodclmck ; but tlien I should never again 

 try to destroy a woodcliuok by walling up his 

 hole, any more than Br'er Fox would try to 

 punish the rabbit by slinging him a second time 

 into the brier-patch. 



The burrow was wide open. I had stuffed 

 and rammed the rocks into it, and buried deep 

 in its mouth the body of another woodchuck 

 that my neighbor's dog had killed. All was 

 cleared away. The deceased relative was gone— 

 where and how I know not ; the stones were 

 scattered on the farther side of the tree, and the 

 passage neatly swept of all loose sand and 

 pebbles. 



Clearly the woodchuck had come to stay. I 

 meant that he should move. I could get him 

 into a steel trap, for his wits are not abiding ; 

 they come only on occasion. Woodchuck lives 

 too much in the ground and too constantly 

 beside his own door to grow very wise. He can 

 always be trapped. So can any one's enemy. 

 You can always murder. But no gentleman 

 strikes from behind. I hate the steel trap. I 

 have set my last one. They would be bitter 

 [23] 



