ky paws. The sharp stings came thicker
and faster, and he wildly clawed the air. At last he forgot to hold on
to the branch any longer, and with a screech he tumbled to the ground.

There he rolled and rolled on the dead leaves till he was covered with
leaves from head to foot, for they stuck to his fine, sticky fur, and
most of all they covered his eyes and his striped face. Mad with fright
and pain he dashed through the forest calling to some one of his own
kind to come to his aid.

[Illustration: SO THEY RAN AND THEY RAN OUT OF THE WOODS ON TO THE
SHINING WHITE BEACH.]

The moon was now bright, and many of the woods people were abroad. A
second Raccoon heard the call and went to meet it. But when he saw a
frightful object plastered with dry leaves racing madly toward him he
turned and ran for his life, for he did not know what this thing might
be.

The Raccoon who had been stealing the honey ran after him as fast as he
could, hoping to overtake and beg the other to help him get rid of his
leaves.

So they ran and they ran out of the woods on to the shining white beach
around the lake. Here a Fox met them, but after one look at the queer
object which was chasing the frightened Raccoon he too turned and ran at
his best speed.

Presently a young Bear came loping out of the wood and sat up on his
haunches to see them go by. But when he got a good look at the Raccoon
who was plastered with dead leaves, he scrambled up a tree to be out of
the way.

By this time the poor Raccoon was so frantic that he scarcely knew what
he was doing. He ran up the tree after the Bear and got hold of his
tail.

"Woo, woo!" snarled the Bear, and the Raccoon let go. He was tired out
and dreadfully ashamed. He did now what he ought to have done at the
very first--he jumped into the lake and washed off most of the leaves.
Then he got back to his hollow tree and curled himself up and licked and
licked his soft fur till he had licked himself clean, and then he went
to sleep.

_The midnight hunter steals at his own risk._

SEVENTH EVENING

THE BADGER AND THE BEAR

SEVENTH EVENING

The night is cold and clear, with a full moon overhead, and soon after
supper Tanagela appears in her snug doeskin gown and warm robe of the
same, tanned with the hair on, drawing her little brother in a great
turtle-shell over the crusty snow.

Old Smoky Day laughs heartily at the sight, standing just outside his
teepee door to watch fo