FOXES AND SNOW-SnOES 195 



lie was really awake, and then managed to wake Rap 

 to share in his astonishment. The Porcupine was 

 singing ! ^ 



" What is it, and where did it come from? " whispered 

 Rap, onlj' dimly conscious of where he was, 



Nat whispered hack all he knew of the matter. 



" It must be the tame Porcupine from the shed that 

 crept out Avhen Nez went to put back the Fox and the 

 Coon," said Rap, who was quick to draw conclusions, 

 " so I don't think lie'U hurt us ; but I never knew be- 

 fore that they coiild sing like that ! " 



The Porcupine's song was indeed very strange. At 

 first it sounded like a particvdarly happj' tea kettle, 

 abrim with boiling water ; then it began to rise and 

 fall, having some quite musical notes, finally dying 

 away, blending with the whistling of the wind. 



By this time somebody stirred in the opposite corner. 

 Nez tumbled up, with the instinct of a woodsman, to 

 put more wood on the fire, so that Nat ventured to call 

 his father. 



"A Porcupine! Nonsense! Where?" shouted Mr. 

 Blake, not over willing to come out of his blankets. 



" The stories in your head and the fried Squirrel in 

 your stomach have made a plan between them to give 

 you soiTje dreams ! " 



" Really no, daddy. Rap is awake and has seen it too, 

 and we've heard it sing. Oh, be careful, it's coming 

 down again! " 



Every one was awake now. Toinette and the little 

 boys peeped in from their part of the cabin, Nez lighted 



1 The author is indebted to Mr. Abbott IT. Thayer and Dr. E. A. 

 . Mearns for information regarding the habits of Porcupines. 



