Bushiy Tail Squirrel

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17840, 12 October 1929, Page 16 (Supplement)

Bushiy Tail Squirrel

S-SH!” warned Cricket. “S-sh I "Why s-sh?” inquired Jackie, in a solemn whisper. “Look over there in the „ oa^ v^, e n J saw something move,’ explained Cricket. Scarcely daring to breathe, Jackie looked in the direction indicated by Cricket. Suddenly a 'twig snapped, some leaves gently stirred, then a pa of keen, dark eyes set in a grey, furry head appeared. “Ch, oh,” breathed Cricket. Whatever is it?” just then the leaves parted, and there on a branch sat the prettiest grey squirrel could imagine. S He carried his bushy tail straight up his soft, furry back and held his little, shapely front feet up under his chin. “Oh the squirrel is saying his prayers!” exclaimed Cricket. P “I wish that he would come down pTay wlth us,” said Jackie vrfst(UM -Wc will get some nuts and o°k him to come down,” cried -Cricket she sped away to the 1 1 '^ se - llpl "Cookl Cook!” she called. Please give us some nuts for a squirrel. He lias come to visit us.” ' , “He is the prettiest squirrel that vou ever saw!" declared Jackie. “ Straightway Cook went to the pantry and brought forth a big bowl of hickory nuts. h fnr “Wo thank you very muoh for them,” said Jackie politely. the “Now we must crack them for the little squirrel," suggested Crl ‘* et, f “Oh, no. He can crack them for himself," declared Jackie. “Whv they are so hard that they will break his little teeth,” cried Cricket. . , . “Of course the nuts are hard,J>ut the squlrrfl’s teeth are made sharp and strong, so that he may crack any nut in the forest,” explained J ack * e - Now Jackie knelt down as he had seen his father do and made a strange, little chattering noise. , The pretty squirrel put his head on one side and looked very carefully and shrewdly at both Jackie and Cricket. He decided that they meant to he his friends and promptly accepted Jackie’s invitation to have a nut. , Cautiously he came closer and closer, then he reached out and took the offered nut in his month. He whisked his bushy tail as if to say, “thank you,” and scampered away. When at a safe distance he sat up straight, held the nut with his front paws and began to crack it. Very soon his sharp teeth had broken it and he was enjoying the nice nut m< “lsn’t he just the cutest thing!" exclaimed Cricket. “I wish that he would like us so well that he would stay right here always,” said Jackie. “Perhaps if we feed him enough nuts he will," replied Cricket wisely. “What shall wc name him?” inquired Jackie. , “Bushy Tail would suit him nicely. Don’t you think so?” questioned Cricket. “Yes, and I think that he would like that name, too,” replied Jackie. “There is the first bell for luncheon I” cried Cricket. “We will put ail of these nuts down for Bushy Tall. He can eat them while we are gone.” But Bushv Tail had no intention of eating all of the huts at once: No, indeed! That would be reckkjss and foolish. He know that he must store some away for a time when he might be very hungry and could not find any . food.

-He looked the oak tree over very carefully for a hollow place, where he could store the nuts. He could And none, so he selected a nice soft place in the earth. With hi* front feet he dug holes in the ground, then into each hole he placed a nut. lie pushed them down as far as possible with his nose, then again using his front feet, covered them with dirt.

To make sure that no other squirrel would And his precious nuts, he brought dry leaves and placed over ■them. These even hid his footmarks. The children watched him with delight. At last Cook rang the second bell, which sent them hurrying to their own luncheon. Upon their return to the oak tree they saw Glen Allyn and Betty Jane just entering the grounds. “Oh, hurry!” called Cricket. ‘We have something new and he is alive.” Right at that moment Bushy Tail was very much alive. He was so happy over the nuts which he had just buried, and over the feast which he had just enjoyed, that he ran from tree to tree and jumped from, limb to limb so swiftly that he looked like a little, grey streak. It was his way of expressing his joy. "Oh, oh!” exclaimed Betty Jane and Glen Allyn together. “Isn’t he nice and isn’t he funnyl”

“Yes, but you should see him sit up and eat,” said Jackie. “M!ay we feed him something?" asked Betty Jane. “Of course you may. The nuts are all gone, but squirrels like corn, I am sure,” replied Cricket. Down to the -big corn crib the four happy children’ran. They found the crib to be locked, but by putting his Angers through the cracks Jackie at last wiggled an ear of corn out Into Cricket’s upturned apron. This ear of corn they placed on the ground, and again Jackie gave his peculiar, chattering call for Bushy Tail.

But, alas, before ‘Bushy Tail could reach the prize, a big, old, brown hen, which was wandering about the yard, made a rush for the corn. She pounced upon it and bore it away. The children chased her and tried to make her drop it, but with wings spread, she ran in circles and squawked defiantly. “Never mind, we will not chase her any more,” said Cricket, “but when she stops to eat it, we can he real •quick and snatch at away from her.” However, wh-en the children stopped, Bushy Tail took up the pursuit, i L’ke a flash he was off after Hie hen and the ear of corn. At last the hen dropped her prize. Bushy Tail was right there to take it, but the hen thought otherwise. She gave a wild squawk, spread her wings and opened her bill to peck his head. But she never touch-ed him. Like a flash Bushy Tail made a leap for her bright red comb. (He never touched her, for the big ben dodged him. Bushy Tail looked so small beside the hen that the children were amazed at his courage. He was unafraid, for his sharp teeth -had been given him that he-might protect himself. The big hen thought that after all they had better be friends, so she said: “Cluck 1 Cluck! Let us eat this corn together. You eat frota that end and I will eat from this.” “I thank you very much, Mrs Hen,” replied Bushy Tail. From that moment he and Mrs Hen became splendid friends. This friendship made life much easier and happier for both of them.