e, and was soon quiet again as before.

Not long after this, Raymond finished his work, and prepared to go home.
He proposed to Caleb that they should leave the squirrel there, upon the
log; but Caleb was very desirous to carry him home, because, he said, he
could tame him, and give him to Mary Anna. So Raymond asked how they
should contrive to carry him. Caleb wanted to carry him home in his cap;
but Raymond said that he would take cold by riding home bare-headed.
"However," said Raymond, "Perhaps I can contrive something." So he went
after another piece of birch bark from the tree, about six inches wide,
and two feet long, and rolled it over, bringing the two ends together,
so as to make a sort of round box,--only it was without top or bottom.
To keep it in shape he tied a string round it.

"But how are you going to keep him in?" asked Caleb.

Raymond said nothing, but he took a handkerchief out of his jacket
pocket, and spread it out upon the ground, and put his birch bark box
upon it. He then laid the squirrel gently in upon the handkerchief,
which thus served for a bottom. Next he drew the corners of the
handkerchief up over the top, and tied the opposite pairs of ends
together. Thus the handkerchief served for top, bottom, and handle.

They soon reached the place where they had left the cart; they got into
it and rode on. Caleb held the squirrel in his lap, and of course, as
there was nothing but the thin handkerchief for a bottom to the box,
Caleb felt the weight of the squirrel, pressing soft and warm upon his
knees. The squirrel lay very still until they got very near home, and
then Caleb began to feel a creeping sensation, as if he was beginning to
move. Caleb was highly delighted to perceive these signs of returning
life; he held his knees perfectly still, that he might not disturb him,
crying out, however, to Raymond,

"He's moving, Raymond; he's moving, he's moving."

CHAPTER XI.

MARY ANNA.

Caleb and Raymond reached home about the middle of the afternoon: and
while Raymond went into the yard to leave the cart and turn out the
cattle, Caleb pressed eagerly into the house, to shew his prize. Mary
Anna, or Marianne, as they generally called her, came to meet him to see
what he had got in his hand.

"Is that my birch bark?" said she.

"There! I forgot your birch bark," said Caleb.--"But I have got
something here a great deal better." And so saying he put his
handkerchief down, and began ve