s to see exactly where his den was,
and so walked around where he had seemed to disappear each time, and
waited. He was as punctual as usual, and was back with his game exactly
on time. It happened that we had stopped within two paces of his hole,
so that, as he approached it, he evidently discovered us. He paused,
looked steadily at us, and then, without any sign of fear, entered his
den. The entrance was not under the rocks as we had expected to find it,
but was in the bank a few feet beyond them. We remained motionless for
some time, but he did not reappear. Our presence had made him
suspicious, and he was going to wait a while. Then I removed some dry
leaves and exposed his doorway, a small, round hole, hardly as large as
the chipmunk makes, going straight down into the ground. We had a lively
curiosity to get a peep into his larder. If he had been carrying in mice
at this rate very long, his cellars must be packed with them. With a
sharp stick I began digging into the red clayey soil, but soon
encountered so many roots from near trees that I gave it up, deciding to
return next day with a mattock. So I repaired the damages I had done as
well as I could, replacing the leaves, and we moved off.

[Illustration: WEASEL]

The next day, which was mild and still, I came back prepared, as I
thought, to unearth the weasel and his treasures. I sat down where we
had sat the day before and awaited developments. I was curious to know
if the weasel was still carrying in his harvest. I had sat but a few
minutes when I heard again the rustle in the dry leaves, and saw the
weasel coming home with another mouse. I observed him till he had made
three trips; about every six or seven minutes, I calculated, he brought
in a mouse. Then I went and stood near his hole. This time he had a fat
meadow-mouse. He laid it down near the entrance, went in and turned
around, and reached out and drew the mouse in after him. That store of
mice I am bound to see, I thought, and then fell to with the heavy
mattock. I followed the hole down about two feet, when it turned to the
north. I kept the clue by thrusting into the passage slender twigs;
these it was easy to follow. Two or three feet more and the hole
branched, one part going west, the other northeast. I followed the west
one a few feet till it branched. Then I turned to the easterly tunnel,
and pursued it till it branched. I followed one of these ways till it
divided. I began to be embarrassed a