Squirrels are very fond of nuts. One day I saw two squirrels eating some acorns. They found the acorns on the ground. They sat up on their hind legs, and held the nuts with their front paws. They looked as if they were holding the nuts with real hands. One Sunday afternoon I had some nuts. I put the nuts into my pocket and went out-of-doors. I saw a squirrel. I took some nuts from my pocket. Then I tapped on the sidewalk with a nut. The squirrel heard the tapping. When he saw me, I held out my hand. After some coaxing, the squirrel came up and took the nut. He came up several times. I fed him the nuts until they were all gone. Another time I saw a squirrel taking nuts from a man’s hand. The squirrel carried the nuts to his hole in the tree. Perhaps he was saving the nuts for winter. [Illustration: Girl sitting next to tree] The Lost Nut Once I saw a squirrel with a nut in his mouth. He carried the nut to a tree, and put it into a hollow. He wanted to save the nut. After he had put the nut away, he went down to the ground and up another tree. He stayed for some time, and then came back to the first tree. He looked for the nut, but he couldn’t find it. Do you know what had happened? Another squirrel had found the nut and carried it away. I saw the second squirrel take the nut. I felt sorry for the little squirrel that lost the nut he had tried to save. Don’t you feel sorry, too? The Squirrel’s Arithmetic High on the branch of a walnut tree A bright-eyed squirrel sat. What was he thinking so earnestly? And what was he looking at? The forest was green around him, The sky blue over his head; His nest was in a hollow limb, And his children snug in bed. He was doing a problem o’er and o’er, Busily thinking was he; How many nuts for this winter’s store He could hide in the hollow tree. He sat so still on the swaying bough You might have thought him asleep. Oh, no; he was trying to reckon now The nuts the babies could eat. Then suddenly he frisked about, And down the tree he ran. “The best way to do, without a doubt, Is to gather all I can.” _Annie Douglas Bell_ Whisky Frisky Whisky Frisky, hippity hop, Up he goes to the tree-top. Whirly twirly, round and round, Down he scampers to the ground. [Illustration: Other Pets] Come, My Children Come, my children, come away, For the sun shines bright to-day; Little children, come with me, Birds and brooks and flowers to see. See the little lambs at play In the meadows bright and gay; How they leap and skip and run, Full of frolic, full of fun! Bring the hoop and bring the ball; Come, with happy faces all. Let us make a merry ring, Talk and dance and laugh and sing.