points.'

"Just then up came Cheeko, his tail spread over his head and waving to
and fro in that way which always makes me feel seasick. It doesn't
seem possible, as I tell it to you now, but it is a fact that, not
content with having been the means of giving Mr. Crow the sorest leg
you ever saw on a bird, he must needs begin to brag about what he had
done in the way of making trouble in the club.

"Then Mr. Jay, who had been roosting in the very top of the tree with
his crest sticking straight up because of what he had done toward
straightening out matters, lost his temper, and began giving Cheeko
about as severe a lecture as ever any squirrel listened to, but all
the while the foolish mischief-maker chattered and screamed as if he
were the whole show.

"I had forgotten entirely about the 'Squire and Professor Hawk, until
I saw Cheeko running along the ground toward where three or four
walnuts were lying near a clump of fir bushes, and then I got right up
on my hind legs and shouted to him that he'd best keep under cover if
he wanted to save his skin.

"'Take care of yourself, if you can, you bob-tailed old fraud, and
I'll show that a fellow about my size is able to do pretty much as he
pleases in these woods.'

"Of course, every member of the club was looking at Cheeko by this
time and I'll venture to say there was not one present who didn't
think he was making a fool of himself by talking in such a strain, for
there are precious few of us wood folk who can do as they please all
the time.

"Well, Master Cheeko skipped toward the nuts, shaking his tail to show
that he was a terribly brave fellow, and if 'Squire hadn't been quite
so blind it would have been the last tail-shake for that squirrel. You
must know that the 'Squire was hiding among the fir bushes in front
of which the nuts had been laid and somewhere among the small branches
was the Professor watching out to take a hand in the plan in case the
first part of it missed; but, of course, we didn't know all that at
the time.

"Cheeko was so eager to show the members of the club that he had no
reason to be afraid of anything wearing feathers or fur that he didn't
look to the right or to the left, but made straight for the nuts, and,
just as he was about to pick up one, out sailed the 'Squire with a
rush and a bang, which showed how angry he was.

"Now the Professor had laid the nuts in the shade of the fir bushes,
so they would be sheltered from the su