THE PACK RAT 
37 
No one could find it. In a little while, however, 
Uncle Ely spoke. “Who put this silk stocking in my 
coat pocket?” he asked. 
“Not I,” said Ginger, and every one else said, “Not 
I.” Father was smiling. He thought the children 
must have been playing jokes. In a moment, how¬ 
ever, he too called out. 
“Here’s your watch, Sister, inside of my vest. But 
my fountain pen is gone! What is this, anyway? Is 
somebody trying to play tricks on us?” 
Then Uncle Ely began to chuckle, and everybody 
looked at him as if he were guilty. When they did so, 
he laughed. 
“Don’t look at me,” he said, still laughing. “I’m 
not the joker. But I think I know who it was. It 
wasn’t a member of the family, either.” 
“Then who could it be?” demanded Mother. “We 
are strangers here, just camping. I don’t believe there 
is anybody near, not even a house in sight.” 
“Never mind where we are. We have neighbors. 
One of them is a little fellow with a long tail. He 
has a rabbit-like face, large ears, and a sleek coat.” 
“It’s an animal, isn’t it, Uncle Ely?” cried Ginger. 
“But what kind of animal could be stealing watches 
and fountain pens?” 
