ped down
the tree and ran towards the decayed stump.

CHAPTER III

Apparently dissatisfied with the result of an investigation, which
proved that the cavity was unfit as a treasure hoard for a discreet
squirrel, whatever its value as a receptacle for the love-tokens of
incautious humanity, the little animal at once set about to put things
in order. He began by whisking out an immense quantity of dead leaves,
disturbed a family of tree-spiders, dissipated a drove of patient
aphides browsing in the bark, as well as their attendant dairymen, the
ants, and otherwise ruled it with the high hand of dispossession and a
contemptuous opinion of the previous incumbents. It must not be
supposed, however, that his proceedings were altogether free from
contemporaneous criticism; a venerable crow sitting on a branch above
him displayed great interest in his occupation, and, hopping down a few
moments afterwards, disposed of some worm-eaten nuts, a few larvae, and
an insect or two, with languid dignity and without prejudice. Certain
incumbrances, however, still resisted the squirrel's general eviction;
among them a folded square of paper with sharply defined edges, that
declined investigation, and, owing to a nauseous smell of tobacco,
escaped nibbling as it had apparently escaped insect ravages. This,
owing to its sharp angles, which persisted in catching in the soft
decaying wood in his whirlwind of house-cleaning, he allowed to remain.
Having thus, in a general way, prepared for the coming winter, the
self-satisfied little rodent dismissed the subject from his active mind.

His rage and indignation a few days later may be readily conceived,
when he found, on returning to his new-made home, another square of
paper, folded like the first, but much fresher and whiter, lying within
the cavity, on top of some moss which had evidently been placed there
for the purpose. This he felt was really more than he could bear, but
it was smaller, and with a few energetic kicks and whisks of his tail
he managed to finally dislodge it through the opening, where it fell
ignominiously to the earth. The eager eyes of the ever-attendant crow,
however, instantly detected it; he flew to the ground, and, turning it
over, examined it gravely. It was certainly not edible, but it was
exceedingly rare, and, as an old collector of curios, he felt he could
not pass it by. He lifted it in his beak, and, with a desperate
struggle against the superin