MISCHIEF MAKERS 365 



and her chin. She sailed right off to an oak tree with 

 it and went back to get another, but when she saw that 

 the tree was jammed, she seemed to know that it couldn't 

 fall any further and so she went over and brought the 

 young one back. Do you know she held it and steadied 

 it with her mouth, and it had its arms tight round her 

 neck as if it were a real child ! " 



" I'm going up to see them next spring," said Nat. 

 " Are they good or bad Squirrels, and what do they 

 eat?" 



" They are harmless little creatures," said the Doctor, 

 " and trouble the farmer very little. Their chief food, 

 beside nuts, consists of seeds of various kinds, insects, 

 beetles, and, I am sorry to say, a few birds' eggs and 

 birds that their night-prowling habits and flying leaps 

 make it very easy for them to take. All the Tree 

 Squirrels do some harm, if there are too many about, 

 as well as their ground cousins, but they are so jolly 

 and companionable, adding to the beauty of woods and 

 byways and. the pleasure of our walks, that I am in- 

 clined to excuse the tribe as heedless mischief makers, 

 rather than condemn them as evil-doers." 



" Red Squirrels are pretty bad to have near the gar- 

 den," said Rap, feelingly. " This year they split up half 

 of our seckel pears to eat the seeds, and they stole lots 

 of the red pie-cherries to get the pits. They think that 

 cherry stones are some early sort of nuts, I guess, and 

 half of July they sat up in that tree twirling them 

 round in their paws while they gnawed into the meat. 

 I wouldn't mind that so much, but they suck birds' 

 eggs and bite little birds, too, when they feel like it. 

 They know where all the birds live, for they are up 



