The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-21

eye. r. was as II myrlads ~ unseen creature,
here and there with isRt tread TO observe them
| from all points. Presently IL became evident
dozen little birds seemed 70 msterlslize from a
nearby bush, \ wOodpecker who has been
drying tseks into the Opposite side % Dig IRE
| around In a manner that suggests that his feet
| are CREASED, and sweeps the two motionless men
| A tremendous Hurry arises Il sounds around
| and about in ever-changing curves, as N giant
two chipmunks burst into view. They, are play
ing tag. and surely there never was such merry
caves Rafdiing over over Obstacles In tremendous
bounds. swsrming up little trees, iesping down In
weight dodsing among the intertwisted roots root.
OF the trees, whirling and Jumping and
twisting and turning With such = chatter q
In their excitement the brownies have failed 70
notice the invaders Of their play ground until
sees and with squeak OF alarm whisks away TO
= refuge among the roots. The other. more
near by. from which he scolds angrily at the in
truders. Why cant they keep awayH What
fering with honest peoples little games in this
way1 It's an outrage. Chit-cbit-chit-che-ee
so bold is he. in his righteous indignation that
Il would be q shame to shoot him. He's a SPUR.
rel, OF kind, to be sure. but he's only ground
game. His lecture isn't nearly through when
there Ia n rattle In a big tree, and something
marked il, His gaze travelled slowly from limb
TO limb; then paused. Another rattle and an
sportsman's gun was raised; it pointed directly
at little bunch Of leaves eighty feet above
Look as he might the coSd no p
threatened with extinction. To be sure. one of
them was moving slightly but that might be
the leaves part. and gray body comes tumbling
to the ground, where II lies still.
y" didn't see any squirrel up there" exclaimed
Neither did l." said the, sportsman. coolly.
but knew there was one behind that bunch
Of leaves eating his luncheon OF nuts. Those
things that you heard falling were nuts. and
when saw that leaf rustic knew had him,
bushy tall, went into the game bag and the
hunters proceeded Another favorable spot
selves. Very soon slight rusting behind them
betrayed the movements Of some animal. The
rel leaping toward the nearest tree. Bang!
goes his gun, but It was miss. The squirrel
would bring him "a to safety in a biz oak. He
sprang. and rs he did SO the report Of the
sporitsmans gun sounded: struck IN d m s ar
another tree there was commotion AS another |
squirrel, frightened by the firing. scrambled into
This i waiting game" whispers the sports,
squirrels than care has cats" -
So the hunters sat down and fxed their. eyes |
on the place wnere the squirrel disappeared. IL |
was long waiting; quarter of an hour perhaps |
had passed when little pointed nose between |
two bright eyes appeared. No use trying to |
shoot there Even II the squirrel were hit lie |
would fall back into the hole. Better to |
wait for him. Slowly he moved out. He |
evidently couldn't understand what those |
motionless figures below were. and he proposed |
to investigate. but cautiously. Out he crept |
along a small limb. slowly the sportsman |
raised his gun. The squirrel didn't move, but |
watched. Another minute and he had paid the |
penalty OF wanting tn know IL all.
At the next stop the hunters had grown weary |
of waiting when suddenly tremendous |
scratching Of bark was heard on the further |
side of beech tree. IL might have been sup |
posed that dozen squirrels would In a moment |
dart into view. Both hunters raised their guns |
To be ready. A pair OF eyes peered around the !
trunk and then a ridiculously little brown |
creeper popped around, gave a chirp and a |
twitter. and fitted away.
1t was growing dark now in the woods. and |
there was little chance Of any more shooting. |
As the hunters came out into the open, where |
only smaller trees grew, a flash OF red appeared |
among the branches not far off. There was |
little chance of escape for this red squirrel for |
the branches were not big enough to shelter |
him. and he fell at the first shot Four squirrels |
to n half days hunt in this region is fair sport,
though by no means extraordinary. and the |
hunters returned with the feeling OF satisfac-
tion and anticipatons Of a savory squirrel |
dinner later,