THE GOPHER 
25 
of their little yard were some peculiar mounds of dirt. 
The mounds were fresh damp soil, not quite knee 
high. Buck stared at one of them, because he saw a 
hole beside it. Then something startled him. 
All in an instant, more dirt was thrown up out of 
the hole, and he caught a glimpse of a gray, furry 
animal. 
The boy made such a bustle and noise with his 
hurried dressing that he woke everybody. In two 
minutes he was outside, looking down the hole. 
“Found a bear, young fellow?” 
Buck jumped at the sound of Uncle Ely's voice. 
Uncle Ely had come outside, too, and was smiling 
down at his nephew. 
“No—I don't know, sir. I don't know what it is.” 
Uncle Ely squatted on his heels, cowboy fashion, 
and looked at the hole and mound of dirt. 
“A gopher made that, Buck,” he explained. 
“Oh, no, sir! It was an animal. I saw him throw- 
ing up dirt.” 
Uncle Ely laughed heartily. “That's all right. The 
gopher is the animal you saw. That's what I meant.” 
“Oh.” 
“Yes. He's down there, waiting for us to go away 
so he can throw up more dirt. He is afraid of us.” 
