THE HOME UNDER THE ROCK
BUT what of the babies left behind, when Mother Chipmunk rode away in
the Ranger’s pocket?
From an entrance hole under a rock just large enough to let her in, and
not large enough for a weasel, Mother Chipmunk had built a branching
tunnel that led for many feet under the pine needles of the forest
floor. Three feet under-ground was the nursery cave, as big around as a
dinner plate, all softly lined with dry leaves and moss.
Out of the main tunnel opened a smaller cave in which refuse was
placed. There were also three storage caves or pantries, where in
winter Mother Chipmunk kept her nuts and berries, dried grasshoppers
and other delicacies for the long months when it is white and cold out
of doors.
Just now the nursery cave was occupied by four of the most cunning baby
chipmunks that ever were,--helpless at this age, without teeth. When
Mother Chipmunk washed them, she would stand on her hind legs and take
one up on her arms so that she could smooth its fur with her tongue.
Now these helpless babies would starve to death, she told herself. She
must find a way to escape, if her life depended on it. And she must
find it quickly, or she could never travel back all those miles the
Ranger was taking her.
She struggled and struggled, there in the Ranger’s pocket. But he had
fastened it shut. On they went, jogging slowly down the rocky trail.
She couldn’t see a thing, but she felt the rhythmic jolting at each
step of the horse. At last it seemed as if she must be standing on her
head. The Ranger had leapt to the ground, and was stooping to drink at
a spring. As he bent, the pocket came unbuttoned. Out she squeezed,
straight into the icy water.
“Well, I never!” exclaimed the Ranger, as she struck out with all her
might, swimming across the pool till she could scramble to shore.
Hiding under a stone till she was sure he had gone, she started racing
back along the way she had come. She reached home to find her babies
crying for her.
Chipmunks are easy to tame, if one does not try to keep them prisoner.
Before the summer was over, the children had Chuck and Chipper so that
they came around every meal time for something good to eat, and if the
window was left open, they would come right into the cabin for it. Once
they nearly buried themselves by jumping into the cold ashes of the
fireplace.
They used to drink from the water pail when it was full enough for them
to reach the water from the rim. One day Chipper reached too far, fell
in, and had to swim for it. But when he reached the side of the granite
pail, it was too smooth for his claws and he could not get out. The
children found him near drowning.
Now Fuzzy had a real grievance, for always before, anything the
children had in their pockets to eat was for him. Now Chuck and
Chipper searched them first. Fuzzy was more eager than ever to catch
the impudent rascals.