Page:St. Nicholas (serial) (IA stnicholasserial321dodg).pdf/438

306 introduced herself one morning in the latter part of May, just as old Rover and I had started out for a day’s fishing. As she fled at our approach, Rover followed and disclosed to me the burrow into which she had fled.

More than one day’s sport I got out of that burrow. I took care that Rover did n’t go with me when I made my visits, and, instead of digging out the inmates boy-fashion, I waited for them to come out of their own accord. Several times the old woodchuck appeared; but, feeling sure that there were “more to follow,” I patiently watched and waited. Finally my patience was rewarded, for, one fine morning, five little cubs came tumbling along the narrow passage after their mother lo the entrance of the burrow and looked with their great, beautiful brown eyes upon the outside world. What a marvelous surprise it must have been to them to view the green grass and the beautiful flowers!



When satisfied that there was no danger lurking in the immediate vicinity, the mother led the way into the grass, followed by the cubs, which tumbled along in haste to keep close to her. They tried to imitate her in everything; and when she nibbled a clover-leaf they followed her example, and soon the sharp little teeth had learned to cut the juicy leaves.

The real object of their first outing was soon accomplished—that of filling their stomachs; and then they began playing about in the grass, very much like puppies, but the mother was careful not to let them wander far—from the entrance of their home, for if her trained ear caught the sound of something approaching, she would hustle the little onesinto the burrow. Once the cubs had traveled only a part of the passage before they heard the deep breathing of the dog at the mouth of the tunnel. The exertion and excitement must have made their little hearts beat fast, and for the first time in theirlives they learned what it was to be frightened,

This was only the beginning of their education; for day after day they came out of the burrow, and when they scrambled backsomething had been added to their little stock of woodchuckknowledge. A part of this knowledge was obtained by copying their mother, but by far the greater part came through instinct and experiences of their own.

Some attention was given to the art of climb