e back after his hat you can imagine how surprised he
was to find it had a new fur lining. "How I wish Alice could see them,"
he thought. Then, very carefully, so as not to frighten them, he spread
his coat over them and started for home with a queer shaped bundle in
his arms.

"Guess what I have," he cried as his little girl ran to the door to meet
him.

"Ice cream," she screamed.

"Guess again!"

"Kittens."

"You're warmer," he said, "but not right yet."

Then, as he carefully lifted up his coat, "baby squirrel," she cried,
and clapped her hands and jumped up and down for joy.

Of course the ride had awakened the squirrels. They were still more
frightened to be in this strange house with strange people standing
around looking at them. They huddled very close together inside the hat
and would not eat the nuts Alice brought them. Have you ever been so
scared you could not eat?

"Don't you think they would be more comfortable in a regular bed?" Alice
asked her father and he agreed heartily.

So she ran and got her doll's cradle and tucked them in carefully
between the white sheets and rocked them just a little, so they would
think they were in the branches of a tree and feel more at home. Alice's
mother had to remind her several times it was her bed-time, too, she did
so hate to leave her dear little play-fellows.

By and by Mother Moon looked in at the window. Quick as a flash both
squirrels jumped out of the cradle and ran to ask her the shortest way
home. They found the window just a little open. You can imagine they did
not stop to say good-bye to Alice or think to thank her for the supper
they had not eaten.

Outside everything looked very strange and unreal. They had never been
out alone at night before. Do you know why everything looks so different
at night, even though it is most as light as day? It is because the
shadows the moon makes are blacker and each one seems to hide something
alive.

[Illustration: SHE ROCKED THEM IN HER DOLL'S CRADLE]

Hazel and Bushy-Tail ran as fast as their little legs could carry them.
They were too scared to even ask Mrs. Moon the shortest way home.
Presently it began to rain and Mrs. Moon went inside to get out of the
wet. Two little streams of tears began to roll down Hazel's cheeks. If
you have never been home-sick, you have no way of knowing how unhappy
these poor, little, lost squirrels were. It is a much worse pain than
cutting one's finger. Something hurt B