"I shouldn't hurt you," said Robin, as he stood leaning upon his
little quarter-staff, watching them nibble away the ends of the
nuts to get at the sweet kernel. "If I wanted to I could unsling
my bow, string it, and bring you down with an arrow; but I don't
want to. Why can't you both be as tame as my fawn?"
The squirrels made no answer, but went on nibbling the nuts, and
suddenly darted up higher in the tree, while Robin grew so much
interested in the movements of the active little creatures that he
heard no sound behind him, nor did he awaken to the fact that he
was being stalked by some one creeping bare-footed from tree to
tree to get within springing distance, till all at once he felt the
whole weight of something alighting on his back and driving him
forward so that he dropped his quarter-staff and came down on hands
and knees.
"Got yer, have I, at last?" cried a familiar voice, as he felt his
ribs nipped, his assailant having seated himself on his back.
"Didn't I tell yer I'd wait, and you was to bring me back a lot to
eat?"
Young Robin waited for no more, but in his agony of spirit he gave
himself a wrench sidewise, dislodging his rider, and made an effort
to struggle up again.
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