Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-09-23
CHAPTER l-contlnusd.

The squirrel was very close to him,
ana Dan seemed to know by instinct
mat the movement Of a single muscle
b would give him away. So he sat as II
be were posing before a photogra.
piers camera. The fact that he was
able to do It II In itself important. It
10 considerably easier to exercise
With dumb-bells for I'VE minutes than
30 ut absolutely without motion for
the same length Of time. Hunters
hnd naturalists acquire the art with
training. It was therefore rather Gu
Fious that Dan succeeded 10 well the
nrst time he tried It. He had sense
enough to relax first before he froze.
Thus he didn't put such q severe
strain on his muscles.
The squirrel. after ten seconds had
elapsed, stood on his launches to see
better. First he looked q long time
with his left eye. Then he turned his
head and looked very carefully with
his right Then he backed on short
distance and tried to get focus with
both. Then he came some half-dozen
steps nearer.
A moment before he had been GER
tain that 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-
lieve that his eyes had deceived him.
Bushy-tail drew on little further.
FULLY convinced at last that his hopes
OF q nut from 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 long time. Then he made a
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 sudden frightening Of
the light In his eyes. But the SOUR.
raj didn't see It. 1t takes q 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
0sity. And then he leaped ON Dams
knee.
He was quite convinced. by now,
that this warm perch on which he
stood was the most singular and in
teresting object Of his young life. It |
was true that he was family worried |
by 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
the elbow. And an instant. more he |
was poking a cold nose into Dams |
neck.
But II the squirrel was excited by |
all these developments. its amazement |
was nothing compared to Dams. It |
had beer the most astounding Incl
uCht Al tuc luuu 3 lie. n6 SUI 6tlii, /
tingling with delight. And In a single
fash Of inspiration he knew he had |
come among his own people at last. He |
knew where he would spend his last |
six months Of life.
His own grandfather had been q
hunter and trapper and frontiersman !
In certain vast but little known Ore /
gon forest. His son had moved to the |
eastern cities, but in Dams garnet |
there used to be old mementoes and |,
curios from these savage days-a few
claws and teeth. and a fragment Of an |
old diary. The call had come to him |
at last. Tenderfoot though he was,
Dan would 60 back to those forests,
to spend his last six months Of life |
among the wild creatures that made
them their home.
CHAPTER u.