AN AUTUMN HOLIDAY 47 



hands. See how quickly he gnaws through the hard 

 shell." 



" So he does," cried Nat. 



" Chipmunks gnawed up a lot of our seckle pears 

 this year before they were ripe," said Rap. " They 

 seemed to want the seeds, for they left the fruity part 

 chipped up all over the grass under the tree." 



" That is one of their habits ; in fact, the bad habit 

 of the whole guild, that they destroy much more than 

 they need for food." 



" Most of the little beasts hereabouts belong to the 

 Gnawers, don't they. Doctor ! " asked Rap. " Squirrels, 

 Chipmunks, Muskrats, Rats, Mice, Woodchucks, Rab- 

 bits, and all such things ? " 



" Yes, all those belong to the Gnawers, and some of 

 them we call vermin, or, as Dodo says, ' Nuisance Ani- 

 mals,' who do more harm than good. Yet many of 

 them are wonderfully intelligent, and it seems hard 

 sometimes to say that we should kill even one of these 

 little mischief-makers. 



" The great balance wheel of Nature is so carefully 

 made and well planned by its Maker that Ave must 

 always touch it reverently." 



" What do you mean by balance wheel. Uncle Roy ? " 

 asked Nat. 



" This, my lad. In this world of ours nothing, from 

 the least grain of sand to the strongest animal, was 

 made for itself alone. Each thing depends upon some 

 other thing, which is equally dependent in its own turn. 

 So we may compare this plan to a wheel Avhich, though 

 it is made of many different parts, — hub, spokes, rim, 

 and tire, — would not be a useful, perfect wheel if even 



