Woodsy neighbours of Tan and Teckle . it was anopossum. 86 WOODSY NEIGHBOURS Already he had eaten much, this opossum,but he was hunting for more. He had beenup on the clay hills where grew the persim-mon wild in the thickets, and although theseason was early, and the frost had not fullyripened the fruit, he had found some softenough to eat. He had found under thetrees in the creek bottom an abundance ofripe hackberries, and had gorged himself onthem though they were little more than seedand skin. Many an old, decaying log andstump he had explored, finding thereinmany a fat grub and beetle. Sti
Woodsy neighbours of Tan and Teckle . it was anopossum. 86 WOODSY NEIGHBOURS Already he had eaten much, this opossum,but he was hunting for more. He had beenup on the clay hills where grew the persim-mon wild in the thickets, and although theseason was early, and the frost had not fullyripened the fruit, he had found some softenough to eat. He had found under thetrees in the creek bottom an abundance ofripe hackberries, and had gorged himself onthem though they were little more than seedand skin. Many an old, decaying log andstump he had explored, finding thereinmany a fat grub and beetle. Still he washungry. The opossum stopped and sniffed carefullyat a scrub elm on which several clusters ofdried leaves hung near the ground. Hewalked carefully around the tree, then beganto climb it, slowly, noiselessly, and with ex-treme care. Up the trunk he went, and outone of the branches until he came to one ofthe thick clusters of dry leaves. Then therewas a sudden movement, a mighty rustlingof the leaves, and several hedge sparrows. HE PRICKED UP HIS EARS AND LISTENED A LIVING NEST 87 darted forth, fluttering and chattering inaffright. One of them did not fly opossum had caught him. Seated in thefork of the tree the greedy creature slowly atehis victim, while the chirping and complain-ing of the other birds gradually died away inthe night as they found other roosting placesand settled down. When he had finished that part of his mealthe opossum climbed down and started tohunt something else, for he was still went down to the waters edge at PleasantRun brook, and there found a minnow whicha turtle had injured, and which had driftedhelplessly against the bank. This he fishedout of the water and ate0 While he was busy with this new dainty—for it was not often he tasted fish—he heardthe barking of a dog far away, in the woodsthrough which he had just come. He prickedup his ears and listened, but did not moveaway. He knew perfectly well what boysand dogs were
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublishe, booksubjectanimals
