THE SQUIRREL 
135 
food on the ground, they may soon come for it.” 
Mother changed that plan, however. She took 
most of the good food out, and left some bits in the 
basket, all hanging on the same limb as before. Then 
the family sat down several feet from the tree. Buck 
was soon munching a thick cheese sandwich. 
“Look!” He pointed, trying to talk with his mouth 
full. Mother frowned at him and Buck swallowed 
before he spoke again. “Look! There comes one.” 
A sleek gray fellow, almost as large as a cat and 
proudly waving a fluffy tail as long as his body, dart" 
ed down the tree trunk and into the basket. Once 
he stood up to peer over the edge of the basket at 
the people. Then down went his head for a moment 
and in a flash he was up the tree again carrying a 
mouthful of food. 
“He has a peanut!” Ginger whispered. “See? He 
is sitting up, eating it. Isn’t he pretty?” 
“Yes,” agreed Mother in a whisper. 
At that moment, however, another squirrel came 
along, saw the first one with the peanut, and at once 
darted up and grabbed it. 
Squeaks, chattering, and the noise of fighting fob 
lowed. Both squirrels were angry. The nut fell to 
the ground while they snapped at each other. The 
