oss the opening. The big skunk was
a prisoner.

Vainly he sought a loophole. There was none. Having assured himself of
this fact, he turned to the chicken head which had been his undoing, and
calmly devoured it. Then he settled himself at the front of the box to
wait, manifesting little of the anxiety usually shown by a trapped wild
animal.

Early the next morning the farmer's boy, on his way to feed the poultry,
discovered the captive. "My, he's a beauty!" the boy said aloud, gazing
in admiration at the skunk's thick, glossy fur. "That pelt ought to
bring a good price, but I believe I'll see if I can tame him."

Thus the life of the big skunk was saved, at least for the time being.
Although the boy made many friendly advances, the animal told him in
plain language, "Hands off!" With an air of condescension he would
accept the choice morsels brought to him, but if a hand were thrust
through the bars, at once would come his warning. And the farm boy, who
understood skunks, never forced his attentions.

It was thus that matters stood when one day the skunk had a new visitor.
The animal had just finished his dinner and was busy cleaning his fur
when a small hand was thrust between the bars of his prison and a voice
said, coaxingly, "Pretty kitty!"

The skunk paused to stare at this person who was unquestionably a human
being, yet who was so very small. Surely here was no enemy. The big
skunk sniffed daintily at the hand. It was a very small hand and, as it
stroked his soft fur, the animal crowded closer. The baby laughed
delightedly and thrust her hand through the bars as far as possible.
Then she worked at the fastening of the cage door until she succeeded in
wriggling her small body through. There she was, inside the cage with
her new playmate.

Thus her mother found her when, a half hour later, she rounded a corner
of the house in a search for the runaway. The woman turned pale and with
a cry snatched the child away, never stopping until what she considered
a safe distance had been placed between them and the skunk. She sniffed
suspiciously and was astonished to find that not the slightest odour
adhered to the child's garments, for the skunk, as is the way of his
kind, was scrupulously clean about his person.

The baby refused to be separated from her pet and, when it was found
that the skunk meant no harm, but seemed, on the contrary, quite happy
in her company, she was permitted to play with him to her heart's