“ONE OF THE EAGLES STRUCK ME A STINGING BLOW ON THE HEAD” _Frontispiece_ THE FALL OF THE YEAR 1 INITIAL, CHAPTER I 1 INITIAL, CHAPTER II 9 “OVER THE HILL IN A WHIRLWIND OF DUST AND HOWLS” 18 INITIAL, CHAPTER III 21 “HERE I FOUND HIM KEEPING HOUSE” 24 INITIAL, CHAPTER IV 29 A SILKY SKEIN OF COBWEB 30 “A WILD CREATURE, THAT WON’T GET OUT OF YOUR WAY” 32 THE PYXIE 32 THE FIELD OF CORN IN THE SHOCK 33 THE WINGED, AND PLUMED, AND BALLOONED SEEDS 34, 35 INITIAL, CHAPTER V 36 INITIAL, CHAPTER VI 46 “THE LANTERN FLICKERS, THE MILK FOAMS, THE STORIES FLOW” 48 INITIAL, CHAPTER VII 52 A COON 54 QUAILS 55 SHAGBARKS 56 WILD SEA FOWL 57 BLACK HAWTHORN BERRIES 58 INITIAL, CHAPTER VIII 61 “TO-NIGHT THERE IS NO LOAFING ABOUT THE LODGE” 62 TAILPIECE 66 INITIAL, CHAPTER IX 67 A WHITEFOOT 68 A CHIPMUNK 70 A WOODCHUCK 72 FIVE DAYS OF LIFE AND PLENTY FOR THE BIRDS 74 INITIAL, CHAPTER X 76 INITIAL, CHAPTER XI 80 “BUT COME, BOYS, GET AFTER THOSE BAGS!” 84 INITIAL, CHAPTER XII 88 A LOON 89 WHEN NIGHT COMES 90 A BLUE JAY 91 A RED SQUIRREL 92 A KINGLET 93 INITIAL, CHAPTER XIII 96 WILD GEESE 102