154 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



region I saw a Pika household, inside a little loose 

 tower of flat slide rock. What do you think, but 

 the little fellows had a regular hay loft in there where 

 they had cut stout grass and brought it in bundles in 

 their mouths, packing it away on the stone shelves as 

 neat as you please, to have it ready for winter food. I 

 knew the hillside was full of these little beasts, for 

 they kept squealing like a colony of singing mice." 



" Who would think that there is so much difference 

 between Rabbit cousins," sighed Rap, as if he was op- 

 pressed by the amount there was to learn even about 

 the simplest fourfoots. " Different lengths of ears and 

 legs ; even their scraps of tails are different." 



" Speaking of tails," said the Doctor, " there is a 

 great deal more meaning in them than people usually 

 think. When a Hare is running you may have a poor 

 view of his head, but if you see his tail, it will give you 

 a clew to his name, for each species wears his in a dif- 

 ferent way." 



" Chestnut Ridge ! Change for Saw Mills and the 

 Junction I " called a brakeman, throwing open the car 

 door. 



Rap, who had kept his crutch ready during the last 

 half of the journey, reached the door as soon as Nat. 

 There was the surprise in front of them. Good sleigh- 

 ing, a big wood sled piled with blankets to drag them 

 to Nez' camp, and Olaf for driver ! 



