ng time I have never yet eaten you."

"That is my fault, and not yours," retorted the squirrel.

"Well, I'm not after you tonight, neighbor, nor after birds, either. I
know where there are seven fat mice to be had, and until they are all
gone you may cease to worry."

"I'm glad to hear that," replied Wisk. "I wish there were seven hundred
mice to feed your appetite. But I'm not going to run into danger
recklessly, nevertheless, and it is my bed-time. So good night, Mrs.
Hootaway; and good night, little child-larks." The owl did not reply,
but Twinkle and Chubbins called good night to the friendly squirrel,
and then they hopped into their nest and cuddled down close together.

The moon was now rising over the trees and flooding the gloom of the
forest with its subdued silver radiance. The children were not sleepy;
their new life was too strange and wonderful for them to be able to
close their eyes at once. So they were rather pleased when the gray owl
settled on the branch beside their nest and began to talk to them.

"I'm used to slanders, my dears," she said, in a pleasanter tone than
she had used before, "so I don't mind much what neighbor Wisk says to
me. But I do not wish you to think ill of the owl family, and so I must
assure you that we are as gentle and kindly as any feathered creatures
in the forest--not excepting the Birds of Paradise."

"I am sure of that," replied Twinkle, earnestly. "You are too soft and
fluffy and pretty to be bad."

"It isn't the prettiness," said the gray owl, evidently pleased by the
compliment. "It is the nature of owls to be kind and sympathetic. Those
who do not know us very well say harsh things about us, because we fly
in the night, when most other birds are asleep, and sleep in the
daytime when most other birds are awake."

"Why do you do that?" asked Chubbins.

"Because the strong light hurts our eyes. But, although we are abroad
in the night, we seek only our natural prey, and obey the Great Law of
the forest more than some others do."

"What is the Great Law?" enquired Twinkle, curiously.

"Love. It is the moral law that is above all laws made by living
creatures. The whole forest is ruled by love more than it is by fear.
You may think this is strange when you remember that some animals eat
birds, and some birds eat animals, and the dreadful creeping things eat
us both; but nevertheless we are so close to Nature here that love and
tenderness for our kind influences