. He couldn't bear to think of
what would happen to Mr. Meadow Mouse if big Mr. Bob Cat should catch
him. Then, almost without realizing what he was doing, little Mr.
Chipmunk began to shout at big Mr. Bob Cat and to call him names. Of
course big Mr. Bob Cat looked up right away and saw little Mr.
Chipmunk sitting on the old stump. His eyes grew yellower and
yellower, he drew his lips back from his long, sharp teeth in a very
angry way, and his little bob tail twitched and twitched. Then, with
great leaps, he came straight for the old stump on which little Mr.
Chipmunk was sitting.

"Little Mr. Chipmunk didn't wait for him to get there. Oh, my, no! He
took one good look at those fierce, hungry, yellow eyes and long,
cruel teeth, and then he whisked into a hole in the old stump. You
see, there wasn't time to go anywhere else. Big Mr. Bob Cat found the
hole in the stump right away. He snarled when he saw it. You see it
was too small, very much too small, for him to get into himself. But
he could get one hand and arm in, and he did, feeling all around
inside for little Mr. Chipmunk. Little Mr. Chipmunk was frightened
almost to death. Yes, Sir, he was frightened almost to death. He made
himself just as flat as he could on the bottom of the hollow and held
his breath.

"'You'd better come out of there, Mr. Chipmunk, or I'll pull you out!'
snarled Mr. Bob Cat.

"Little Mr. Chipmunk just snuggled down flatter than ever and didn't
say a word. Mr. Bob Cat felt round and round inside the hollow stump
and raked his long claws on the sides until little Mr. Chipmunk's hair
fairly stood up. Yes, Sir, it stood right up on end, he was so
scared. When it did that, it tickled the claws of Mr. Bob Cat. Mr.
Bob Cat grinned. It was an ugly grin to see. Then he reached in a
little farther and made a grab for little Mr. Chipmunk. His
wide-spread, sharp claws caught in little Mr. Chipmunk's coat near the
neck and tore little strips the whole length of it.

"Of course little Mr. Chipmunk squealed with pain, for those claws
hurt dreadfully, but he was glad that his coat tore. If it hadn't, Mr.
Bob Cat would surely have pulled him out. After a long time, Mr. Bob
Cat gave up and went off, growling and snarling. When he thought it
was safe, little Mr. Chipmunk crawled out of the old stump and hurried
home. He ached and smarted terribly, and his little plain brown coat
was torn in long strips.

"'This is what I get for meddling in the affairs