were in there, or did they smell them through 

 the rubber? 



One woodshed is big enough only for two 

 squirrels. The family moved everything out 

 but the wood, and the squirrels took possession 

 for the winter. Their first nest had been built 

 behind the hot-water tank. They knew how to 

 build without any teaching. But knowing how 

 is not all there is to know about building; 

 knowing where is very important, and this they 

 had to learn. 



Immediately on coming to the woodshed the 

 squirrels began their winter nest, a big, bulky, 

 newspaper affair, which they placed up in the 

 northwest corner of the shed directly under the 

 shingles. Here they slept till late in the fall. 

 This was the shaded side and the most exposed 

 corner of the whole house ; but all went well 

 until one night when the weather suddenly 

 turned very cold. A strong wind blew from the 

 northwest hard upon the squirrels' nest. 



The next day there was great activity in the 



woodshed— a scampering of lively feet, that 



began early in the morning and continued far 



toward noon. The squirrels were moving. They 



[88] 



