The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1920-12-09
CHAPTER l-Contlnued.

The squirrel was very close TO MIN,
,nd Dan seemed to know by instinct
thot the movement Of a single muscle
,ronld give him away. SO he sat as If
no we're posing before a phOtOgrR-
nbors camera. The fact that he was
ohio to do 1t is in itself important. It
,s considerably easier to exercise
with dumb-hells for five minutes than
"a sit absolutely without motion for
rho same length Of time. Hunters
and naturalists acquire the art with
trsining. It was therefore rather Gu
rons that Dan succeeded so well the
first time he tried 1t. He had sense
enough to relax first, before he frOze.
Thus he didn't put such a severe
strain on his muscles.
The squirrel, after ten seconds had
nlansed, stood on his launches to see
better. First he looked long time
with his left eye Then he turned his
head and looked very carefully with
his right. Then he backed off short
distance and tried to get focus with
hoth Then he came some half-dOzen
steps nearer.
moment before he had been GER
tain that Il living creature-in fact
one Of the most terrible and powerful
living creatures in the WOrld-had
been sitting on the park bench. Now
his poor little brain was completely
added. He was entirely ready to be-
lieye that his eyes had deceived him.
Bushy-taiI drew off a little further,
fully convinced at last that his hopes
Of nut from a child's hand were
blasted. But he turned to look once
more. The figure still sat utterly in
ert. And all at once he forgot his de-
vouring hunger in the face Of an over
whelming curiosity.
He came somewhat nearer and
looked a long time. Then he made
half-circle about the bench, turning
his head as he moved. He was more
puzzled than ever, but he was no
longer afraid. His curiosity had be-
come so intense that no room for fear
was left. And then he sprang upon
the park bench.
Dan moved then. The movement
consisted Of a sudden heightening OF
the light in his eyes. But the SOUR
rel didn't see it. 1t takes a muscular
response to be visible to the eyes OF
the wild things
The squirrel crept slowly along the
bench, stopping to sniff, stopping to
stare with one eye and another, just
devoured from head to tail with curl
osty. And then he leaped on Dams
knee.
He was quite convinced, by now,
mat this warm perch on which he
stood was the most singular and In
feresting object Of his young life. 1t
was true that he was family worried
Oy the smell that reached his nostrils.
But all it really did was further to In
Cite his curiosity. He followed the
leg up to the hip and then perched on
ule elbow. And an instant more he
was poking cold nose into Dams
neck.
But II the squirrel was excited by
all these developments, It's amaZement
was nothing compared to Dams. It
Aad been the most astounding incl
aent in the mans life. He sat still,
ungIing with delight. And in a single
nash of inspiration he knew he had
come among his avn people at last. lie
knew where he would spend his last
SIX months Of life.
Ills own grandfather had been
hunter and trapper and frOntiersman
III certain vast but little known Ore
soh forest. His son had moved to the
eastern cities, but in Dams garrett
u'ere used to be old mementOes and
curlos from these savage days-a few
ua"S and teeth, and a fragment of an
oN' diary. The call had come to him
a. last, Tenderfoot though he was,
D"n would go back to those forests
!" spend his last six months Of LIE
a'nong the wild creatures that made
'nem their home.