GLIMPSES OF WILD LIFE 131 



curious as to the fate of the rest of her family, 

 for no doubt there were more. Had she moved 

 them, or had we intercepted her on her first trip? 

 We knew where the old den was, hut not the new. 

 So we would keep a lookout. Near the end of 

 the week, on passing by the old den, there were 

 three young ones creeping about a few feet from 

 its mouth. They were starved out, and had 

 come forth to see what could be found. We 

 captured them all, and the young family was 

 again united. How these poor, half-famished 

 creatures did lay hold of the spoon when they 

 got a taste of the milk ! One could not help 

 laughing. Their little shining black paws were 

 so handy and so smooth ; they seemed as if en- 

 cased in kid gloves. The captives throve well 

 upon milk, and then upon milk and clover. 



But after the novelty of the thing had worn 

 off, the boy found he had incumbered himself 

 with serious duties in assuming the position of 

 foster-mother to this large family ; so he gave 

 them all away but one, the first one captured, 

 which had outstripped all the others in growth. 

 This soon became a very amusing pet, but he 

 always protested when handled, and always ob- 

 jected to confinement. I should mention that 

 the cat had a kitten about the age of the chuck, 

 and, as she had more milk than the kitten could 



