careless laugh. "Why don't you have a little spirit of
your own, Fuzzy, and be independent?"

Fuzzy Wuz was quite young, and ashamed of being thought shy, so she
said:

"All right, Chat. Let's go take a peep at Juggerjook's den."

"We're near it, now," announced the squirrel. "Come this way; and go
softly, Fuzzy Wuz, because Juggerjook has sharp ears."

They crept along through the bushes some distance after that, but did
not speak except in whispers. Fuzzy knew it was a bold thing to do. They
had nothing to carry to the terrible Juggerjook, and it was known that
he always punished those who came to his den without making him
presents. But the rabbit relied upon Chatter Chuk's promise that the
tyrant of the forest would never know they had been near him. Juggerjook
was considered a great magician, to be sure, yet Chatter Chuk was not
afraid of him. So why should Fuzzy Wuz fear anything?

The red squirrel ran ahead, so cautiously that he made not a sound in
the underbrush; and he skilfully picked the way so that the fat white
rabbit could follow him. Presently he stopped short and whispered to his
companion:

"Put your head through those leaves, and you will see Juggerjook's den."

Fuzzy Wuz obeyed. There was a wide clearing beyond the bushes, and at
the farther side was a great rock with a deep cave in it. All around the
clearing were scattered the bones and skulls of animals, bleached white
by the sun. Just in front of the cave was quite a big heap of bones, and
the rabbit shuddered as she thought of all the many creatures Juggerjook
must have eaten in his time. What a fierce appetite the great magician
must have!

The sight made the timid rabbit sick and faint. She drew back and hopped
away through the bushes without heeding the crackling twigs or the
whispered cautions of Chatter Chuk, who was now badly frightened
himself.

When they had withdrawn to a safe distance the squirrel said peevishly:

"Oh, you foolish thing! Why did you make such a noise and racket?"

"Did I?" asked Fuzzy Wuz, simply.

"Indeed you did. And I warned you to be silent."

"But it's all right now. We're safe from Juggerjook here," she said.

"I'm not sure of that," remarked the squirrel, uneasily. "One is never
safe from punishment if he is discovered breaking the law. I hope the
magician was asleep and did not hear us."

"I hope so, too," added the rabbit; and then they ran along at more
ease, rambling through the forest pat