o roll himself up in, like a squirrel in
its hole; but the trouble was what he did not like. He stood listlessly
thinking how much trouble it would cost to collect moss and leaves for
the purpose; and, while he was so thinking, he went on pelting his dog
with birds'-nests, and seeing how the angry dog, unable to get loose,
snapped up and shook to pieces the nests which fell within his reach.

Roger knew that he ought to be skinning some of the dead animals, if he
really meant to secure all their skins, before it was too late; but this
also was troublesome. Instead of doing this, he went round the hill, to
see what the Linacres were about, resolving by no means to appear to see
them, if they should be making signs from the window to have the things
back again that he had carried away. On coming out of the shade on that
side of the hill, he was surprised to see smoke still going up from his
fire, considering that the fire was nearly out when he had left it.
Something more strange met his eye as he ran forward. There was the
nice clean blanket spread out on the ground, with the tinder-box in the
middle.

"Somebody has been here!" cried Roger, much offended. "What business
has anybody in my island? Coming when my back is turned! If I had only
heard them coming to meddle--!"

Just then, his eye fell on the rug, blanket, and knife and fork left by
Oliver,--the very accommodation he had been wishing for, and more. When
he felt the thick warm rug, he gave over his anger at some one having
entered his island without his leave, and, for a moment, again felt
pleased and happy. But when he saw that the bridge-basket was gone--
that other people had the means of coming in upon him when they
pleased--he was more angry than he had been all day.

"However," thought he, "I got over to the house before anyone else
crossed the water, and I can do the same again whenever I please. I
have only to swim over with Spy, and bring away anything I like, while
they are busy on the other side, about their good-for-nothing cow, or
something. That will be tit-for-tat."

He was doubly mistaken here. His going over to steal comforts from the
Linacres would not be tit-for-tat for Oliver's coming over to his
father's hill, to bring away his mother's clothes basket, and leave
comforts for an unwelcome visitor! Neither could Roger now enter the
Linacres' dwelling when he pleased, by swimming the stream. He saw this
when he examined and c