Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-20


| and watched him.
Now, let's hull EN-" said Carroll.
"Oh. not now" replied Bob, lazily: Tets
rest little. I'm awfully tired" and he lay
back full length on the log.
You're awful lazy; that's what's the
matter with YOU" retorted Carroll, with
| scorn. He picked up the handles of the
| wheelbarrow and wheeled it off to put 1t
away.
| when he came back Bob was kneeling on
| the ground peering into hole in the wood
| pile. He did not look lazy then.
What's the natter" called Carroll, as
| he saw him.
Something's in here" answered Bob, in
! an excited voice.
| Carroll ran up and looked in the hole,
| but could not see anything.
What is it?'' he asked.
Don't know" returned Bob but heard
| something squeakng in there"
II don't hear anything" said Carroll,
IT'S stopped now, but ii was. Wait "a
| there, there it is
| Carroll distinctly heard two or three little.
| feeble squeaks and then a rustling sound,
as If the animal was moving about.
Il wonder what 1t is he said
Perhaps it's a fox!' said Bob, almost in
a whisper.
Fox, your grandmother sneered Car
roll Foxes don't live in wood piles. Guess
| It's mouse
Neither do mice" retorted Bob. Mice
live in barns and houses"
Some kinds don't. Field mice don't"
claimed Carroll out of his superior wis
dom.
Well let's get him. anyhow" said Bob,
feeling that Carroll had the best of the ar
gument Just then there was some more
rustiing and squeaking and the boys began
eagerly to pull away the logs and boards.
AS they lifted the last piece of wood there
was a great hubbub Of squealing and
came whizz-right into Bob's face.
OH he exclaimed, recoiling.
Catch it, catch it, cried Carroll ex-
citedly, making dive for the frightened
little animal, which was quite as much sur
prised as Bob at the result Of its jump.
What is it?'
''Ground-hackeev shouted Carroll, as he
threw himself, quite regardless of bumps
and bruises, headlong in a wild effort to
grasp the tail of the fleeing animal.
Got him?" asked Bob eagerly
mo: head him off, cried Carroll, STUN
bling to his feet. Look out-there he comes!
Grab him.
1t was easy enough to say grab him."
but Bob found 1t harder thing to do. He
tried to grab him. but somehow the slip
perry little animal eluded his grasp, and Bob
lost his balance and fell forward. hitting
his nose sharp crack on a big log.
owl he cried ''Ow-ow-ow!'
Carroll began to laugh. He really could
not help 1t, Bob did look so funny sitting
there, holding on to his nose with both
hands.
You needn't laugh: it hurts" said Bob,
oh, pshaw!' answered Carroll
well. guess you'd say ow, too, If your
nose got bumped"
well, you needn't be a baby about it,
anyway
Pm not baby That's a story said
Bob, holly. They had both forgotten the
ground hackee, which took advantage of
their distracted attention. and scuttled up
a chestnut tree that overhung the wood
pile. Carroll was just about to make a
jeering reply, when his notice was attract
ed by the same little squealing sounds they
had heard before.
There's something else in there.' he ex-
claimed. Young ones 1 do believe" he
added eagerly. as he peered into the hole.
Lets see," said Bob, forgetting his
anger and looking in, too. Carroll put in
his hand and brought out two baby ground
hackees. They squirmed and wriggled, but
he held them tight.
miringiy, as he stroked the soft red and
brown bodies. And 1 never found them
SO late in the season before. Let's keep
'em. Shall we?"
YES" answered Bob, enthusiastically;
but what shall we put them in?"
Isn't there an old cage around some
where? Where's that one We had those
old white mice in?
II don't know. Guess it's gone some
where, replied Bob, pulling the wandering
lock of hair on his forehead. 1t little
trick he had when he was puzzled about
anything.
well, we can make cage" said Carroll.
The ground hackees, or, as they are often
called, chipmunks, were deposited in
pasteboard shoe box for temporary rest
ing place. Carroll was very careful to
punch a number of holes in the lid, so they
should have plenty of air. All afternoon
the boys worked busiy at the cage. 1t
was made after a plan of Carrolrs own
invention, and consisted of a small wooden
box, with little door cut in one side and
two windows, one at each end. The door
had hinges of leather and the windows
were barred across with wire. The board
top of the cage was taken off. and Bob
found an old piece of wire netting which
they nailed in its place, SO the ground
hackees should have air and light and
could be easily seen. When it was done
they carried 1t in triumph into the house.
Look, mother!' cried Carroll. its all
done"
Isn't 1t a great cage?' asked Bob, ad-
miringly.
How nicely you have made it," said Mrs
Mason, and Carroll beamed with pride II
am sure the chipmunkS will think it quite
fine"
They aren't chipmunks, mother; they're
ground hackees." corrected Bob.
But chipmunk is a better name for
Them" explained Mrs. Mason.
well, we call em ground hackees, any
way" replied Bob, if that settled the
matter-and it probably did, as far as he
was concerned.
"Oh, I'm tired" he exclaimed, after the
little animals had been safely housed in
their new quarters and had been shown TO
mired by them. Bob had come into his
mothers room and thrown himself on the
lounge.
What makes you so tired?" asked Mrs
Mason.
Don't know replied Bob. Guess it
was chasing those fellows away from our
walnut tree. One of 'em pounded me- too.
Guess it S that makes me feel so sore" He
began punching his arms and legs, and
said "ow"' every time his fingers found a
tender spot.
Mrs. Mason laughed. You had better
go to bed early and get good rest" she
said.
"Oh, I'm not tired enough for that" ex-
claimed Bob, quickly.
When Mr.. Mason came home the doings
Of the day were recounted to him by the
two boys, who perched themselves one on
each arm Of his chair and interrupted each
other continually in their desire to have
the story quite correct.
weren't they stealing?" asked Carroll
when Mr.. Mason had heard how the wal
nuts had been carried off.
well, yes, 1 suppose it really was steal
Ing replied Mr.. Mason. But out here In
the country. people get so used to gathering
nuts and berries wherever they find them
that they don't stop to consider that they
may belong to some one, and that the owner
might DOSSibfy object to their being taken