Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1921-01-21
CHAPTER i--continued.


The squirrel was very close to him,
and Dan seemed to know by instinct
that the movement Of a single muscle
would give him away. So he sat as if
he were posing before a photogra-
piers camera. The fact that he was
able to do it is In itself important. 1t
is considerably easier to exercise
with dumb-bells for five minutes than
to sit absolutely without motion for
the same length of time. Hunters
and naturalists acquire the art with
training. 1t was therefore rather Gu
riOus that Dan succeeded so well the
first time he tried it. 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
elapsed, 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
both. Then he came some half-dOZen
steps nearer.
A moment before he had been GER
tain that living creature-in fact
one of tie 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-
iieve that his eyes had deceived him.
Bushy -tail drew off q little further,
fully convinced at last that his hopes
OF a 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 frightening of
the light In his eyes. But the SOUR
rel didn't see Ii. 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
osfty. 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. 1t
was true that he was family worried
nv the smell that reached his nostrils.
But all It really did was further to in
cite his curiosity. He followed the
leg ND to the hip and then perched on
the elbow. And an instant more he
was pok;ng cold nose into Dams
neck.
But if the squirrel was excited by
all these developments, its amazement
was nothing compared to Dams. 1t
had been the most astounding ihci-
dent i'm the mans life. He sat still.
,tingling with delight. And in single
flash of inspiration he knew he had
come among his own people last. he
,Enew where he would spend his last
six months of life.
His own grandfather had been
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 garrett
there used to be old memeDt9es ana
curios from these savage days-a few
claws and teeth, and fragment of an
lold diary. The call had come to him
at last. Tenderfoot though he was
Dan would go back to those forests
70 spend his last six months OF lie
among the wild creatures that MADE
them their home.