Washer the Raccoon, Page 2

  Sneaky growled his disapproval, but obeyed, and the minute he was goneWasher felt all his fear vanish. What happened in the cave next willappear in the following story.

  STORY THREE

  MOTHER WOLF TAKES A HAND

  Washer was very lonely without his mother or brothers, and veryhomesick; but the little wolves were so playful they gave him littletime to think of his worry. Whenever he curled up in a corner to mopeand sigh, one of the cubs was sure to creep up behind and roll allover him. Sometimes they got so mixed up that it was difficult forMother Wolf to tell her own children from the raccoon.

  Meanwhile, Sneaky had been out hunting, and returned with food for hisfamily. He flung it to the little cubs, and said:

  "Eat, little ones, and may it make you strong and stout of heart likeyour father!"

  He gave none to Washer, but Mother Wolf stepped in and divided thefood evenly. "Here, Little Stranger of the woods, you must eat too, oryou'll grow thin and die."

  Sneaky did not like this, and displayed his sharp, cruel teeth. "Whyshould a stranger rob my children of their food?" he asked. "I do nothunt for another's brat."

  "If he doesn't eat," replied Mother Wolf, smiling, "How can he growfat? Our children must have their food rich and juicy."

  Sneaky grinned at this retort, for it was quite true that all wolvesliked fat little animals. It made the meat so much more delicious. Hewas content to hunt food for Washer if it fattened him up for thecubs.

  Every day when he returned to his den, he would ask: "Isn't the LittleStranger fat enough to kill today?"

  And always Mother Wolf would reply: "Not today. We must wait anotherday."

  Of course, all this conversation worried and frightened Washer, for heknew that in a short time he would be killed to make food for hisplaymates. It sickened and terrified him so that he finally decided tomake the effort to escape from the cave. He had been so gentle, andappeared so contented, that he was given more liberty each day. Whenthe cubs played in front of the cave, Washer was permitted to go therewith them.

  This gave him an idea. One day when Sneaky was away in the woodshunting, and Mother Wolf was sleeping in front of the cave, Washersuggested to the cubs that they play hide and seek in the bushes. Thiswas great sport, and they began scampering around behind the bushes tohide.

  When it came Washer's turn to hide, he ran further away from themouth of the cave than at any time before. He looked around him, andsaw that a deep ravine was just beyond his hiding place.

  "Now is my chance," he said to himself. "If I can escape into thatravine, they'll never catch me. I can hide until night, and thenjourney far into the woods."

  He had no sooner decided upon this than he began scampering for theedge of the ravine. If he once reached the edge of the cliff, he couldroll down it, and then hide at the bottom until dark.

  He could hear the cubs calling him, but he paid no attention to them.Liberty was ahead, and he ran with all his might. His legs were shortand weak, and he could not make as good time as he wished. He stumbledonce or twice and rolled over and over. But he was on his feet again,running for dear life, before you could count ten.

  Tired and panting, he finally reached the edge of the ravine. When helooked down it, he was a little frightened. It was terribly steep andthe bottom a long way off.

  "I wonder if it will hurt me," he murmured aloud. "I might run aroundit, and not fall in it."

  Just when he had made up his mind to do this there was a noise in thebushes behind him, and through the air came Mother Wolf, loping alongat a tremendous speed. Washer ducked his head, and tried to hide, butMother Wolf had seen him. A big paw came down on his back andflattened him to the earth.

  "Where are you going, Little Stranger?" the Wolf asked. "Why are yourunning away from us?"

  Now Washer's first thought was to deny that he was running away, buthe knew that it was useless to try to deceive Mother Wolf. He realizednow that she had been watching him out of the corners of her eyes allthe time. She had not been asleep at all. So Washer decided to tellthe truth.

  "I didn't want to be killed," he said. "I'm growing fatter every day,and soon you will kill me for your children. O Mother Wolf, do youknow how it feels to be killed?"

  "No, I don't suppose I do," was the reply. "I've never been killed."

  "Then let me tell you it's worse than anything you can dream of,"panted Washer.

  "How do you know, Little Stranger?" Mother Wolf smiled as she askedthis. "You've never been killed."

  "No, but can't you imagine how it would feel?"

  "Imagine! What is that? I never heard of such a thing."

  "Why--imagination is something that helps you to feel just as if thereal thing was happening."

  Mother Wolf released Washer and let him sit up again. She squatteddown before him and looked into his eyes.

  "I don't believe wolves have what you call imagination," she replied."No, I'm sure they don't. Tell me more what it means."

  Washer was a very young little Raccoon to be instructing a full-grownwolf, but all of his family had been born with imagination. He couldremember how he and his brothers had often listened to the stormsraging through the woods and had tried to imagine how it would feelwithout any home to protect them. They had shuddered at the thoughtand crept closer together in their nest. But it was very difficult totell in words just what imagination was.

  "Why, there isn't much more to tell," he replied hesitatingly. "It'ssomething you have to feel. Have you ever been hurt, Mother Wolf?"

  "Yes, I burnt my front paw once in a fire that campers had left in thewoods."

  "And it hurt terribly, didn't it?"

  Mother Wolf winced and nodded.

  "Then," added Washer triumphantly, "if you can feel it now you haveimagination. You don't really feel it now, but you imagine how itfelt."

  "Yes," replied Mother Wolf, "but that's something I did feel once. ButI was never killed. So how can I imagine how it would feel to bekilled?"

  "Just think of your burnt foot, and then think of being burnt allover. You would know then how it would feel to be killed. Oh, it'sterrible!"

  Mother Wolf was quiet for a long time, and then she looked notunkindly at Washer. "Was that why you were running away?" she askedfinally.

  "Yes, I didn't want to be killed."

  "Then listen, Little Stranger," she said. "You're not going to bekilled. I'm going to keep you to play with my little ones, and toteach them things that no wolf can teach them. I will adopt you, andmake you one of my own children. No harm will ever come to you. Nowcome back home with me."

  Washer's heart gave a great bound of relief, and he licked the pawnear him. He trotted back to the den by the side of Mother Wolf happyand contented; but in the next story you will hear what Sneaky thoughtof this new arrangement.

  STORY FOUR

  MOTHER WOLF SAVES WASHER'S LIFE

  Sneaky came home early that day, bringing with him a good size foxwhich he displayed to his young cubs with much satisfaction. Lickinghis chops and puffing out his cheeks with pride, he said:

  "See what a great hunter I am! Nothing escapes me! I risk my life foryour sakes, and you must learn to be as good hunters when you growup."

  Mother Wolf smiled a little queerly at the boast of her mate, and whenhe was through she asked:

  "Did you have to risk your life to catch Mr. Fox?"

  Sneaky turned and looked a little sheepish, and answered in a voice ofwounded pride: "Yes, I nearly slipped off the rock into the watertrying to bring him down. It was a great jump I made. It must havebeen nearly as long as the river is wide."

  "I know you're a great jumper," replied Mother Wolf, still smiling."The greatest jump I ever saw you make was when Loup the Lynx pursuedyou in the timber below the falls."

  Now reference to this adventure always angered Sneaky, for he had notcome out of it with much glory. He had quarreled with Loup over aprize, and in the end they had snarled and snapped at each other liketwo wild cats. Finally, Loup had
lost his temper and sprang atSneaky's throat, who avoided it by a hair's breadth, and if therehadn't been a wide chasm near the wolf might have lost his life. Witha tremendous spring he had cleared the chasm where he could defy theLynx at a safe distance.

  "My dear," Sneaky began, scowling at his mate, "I took that jump justto show Loup what I could do. If he had followed me, I surely wouldhave killed him."

  Mother Wolf laughed and cuddled up to one of her little ones. "I know,Sneaky, you're very brave," she said.

  That was all, but the way she said it angered Sneaky. It was just asif she had said, "Oh, yes, you're very brave when there's no dangeraround."

  Sneaky switched his tail angrily, and bared his white teeth. Just thenhe might have done something courageous if there had been a chance,for he was very sore and disturbed that Mother Wolf should speak ofhis bravery in such a flippant way before his children.

  Suddenly he caught sight of Washer, who had been looking and listeningin silence. His eyes gleamed with a yellow light.

  "Ah!" he said, stretching out a paw and grasping Washer. "Our LittleStranger is very fat. I think now I'll kill him. Yes, he's very fat,"he added, as he felt of Washer's ribs.

  Washer was so startled and frightened by this sudden attack that hebegan squealing and panting for breath. But the louder he cried themore it pleased Sneaky. The heavy paw pressing down upon his backthreatened to break his spine.

  Mother Wolf suddenly sprang to Washer's rescue. Her own eyes showedbaleful yellow, and her teeth, fully as white and long as Sneaky's,were bared to the gums.

  "Take your paw off!" she said sharply. "How dare you act like that? Ifyou touch one of my children again you'll go forth to hunt and neverreturn."

  "One of your children!" exclaimed Sneaky. "You call this little bratone of your children!"

  "Yes, I have adopted him, and I shall raise him to hunt with the pack.You cannot hurt him!"

  Sneaky was too surprised at first to speak, but after a long pause herecovered and laid his head back on his shoulders while a moststartling yowl escaped from his throat. It was such a blood-curdlingyelp that Washer cringed and cowered in fear. But it was not a battlecry; it was simply Sneaky's way of expressing his merriment. MotherWolf watched him in silence until he stopped.

  "I cannot hurt him!" Sneaky repeated. "My dear, you forget he belongsto me. I caught him, and to me he belongs. Isn't that the law of thepack? Who shall deny me what belongs to me?"

  "You forget another law of the pack," snapped Mother Wolf. "Half ofthe hunt belongs to me and the children. Isn't that the law?"

  "Oh, yes, so it is," smiled Sneaky. "Half belongs to my family, and Ishall divide with them. Which half do you want, my dear?"

  There was a sinister look in the yellow eyes. Mother Wolf read hisintentions, and so did Washer. Sneaky intended to divide the Raccoonin two equal halves. How could he do that without killing him?

  Mother Wolf seemed puzzled for an instant, for she could not break thelaw of the pack, not even to save Washer from death. But an idea cameto her finally, and the light of hope returned to her eyes.

  "You cannot divide him until I'm ready, Sneaky," she added. "That alsois a law of the pack. And I'm not a bit hungry now. I've really eatenmore than is good for me. You must save the Little Stranger until I'mready to eat my half."

  Sneaky was greatly chagrined and angered by Mother Wolf's words, forhe too had to obey the law of the pack, and he knew that what his matehad said was true. He could not kill Washer without the consent ofMother Wolf, and right down in his heart he knew that she would nevergive that consent. But if there was a law against killing Washer atonce there was none against tormenting him. Sneaky was naturallycruel, and the thought that he could even in this way made his eyeslight up suddenly.

  "I'll wait, my dear, until you are ready to eat your half," he said ina fawning voice. "The fact is I've eaten rather heartily myself today,too, and we have this fox for our supper. I'll keep the little bratuntil he's needed. Now go back to your corner!"

  With that he gave Washer a cuff with his paw that sent him spinningacross the cave.

  "Why did you do that?" snarled Mother Wolf, springing before Sneaky.

  "I wanted to prepare him for what's coming," drawled Sneaky. "If weharden and toughen him he won't mind so much being eaten."

  He grinned at this remark, and made another dive for Washer; but thistime the little raccoon escaped and burrowed under the wolf cubs tohide.

  "Come out of that!" snapped Sneaky.

  He began pawing and scratching to get at Washer when somethinghappened that startled every one in the cave. There was a swift thudand then a snapping of sharp teeth. A howl of pain escaped Sneaky'sthroat, followed by a whimpering cry of fear.

  Mother Wolf had sprang at him and caught him by the scruff of the neckwith her powerful jaws, and was shaking him much as a dog would shakea rat. Her teeth were closed so tight that Sneaky couldn't shake themloose. Across the den Mother Wolf jerked him, snapping and snarlingand biting until poor Sneaky was terrified. Near the entrance she gavehim an extra bite with her sharp teeth, and said:

  "Now go out and hunt for the family, and don't come home again untilyou can behave yourself. I won't have you spoiling the tempers of mychildren. Away with you!"

  And Sneaky cowed and frightened trotted away, while Mother Wolfreturned to the den to calm the fears of her little ones. The nextstory will tell of how Washer was brought up by the Wolves.

  ACROSS THE DEN MOTHER WOLF JERKED HIM]

  STORY FIVE

  SNEAKY VISITS BLACK WOLF

  Washer was perfectly safe in the den of wolves after that. Sneaky didnot return for a long time, and when he did appear he was so meek andcrestfallen that he hardly dared to say a word. Mother Wolf lorded itover him, and made him obey her every wish. She even made him takeWasher and the cubs outside to watch them play in front of the cavewhile she took a rest.

  Washer was a little alarmed at first, but Sneaky never so much asraised a paw to hurt him. He was in deadly fear of Mother Wolf.

  After a while Washer lost all of his natural fear of being killed, andlife became very different to him in the den. It was a pleasant enoughhome after all, and he was so grateful to Mother Wolf that he couldn'tdo enough to please her. She smiled at him when he ran to do littleerrands for her, and patted him on his back. He grew more attentive toher than were her own children.

  The cubs were growing rapidly, and Washer soon saw they would be muchbigger and stronger than he in time; but they looked upon him as oneof the family, and always treated him in a friendly way. They begancalling him Little Brother, and Mother Wolf in time adopted this name.It was much better than Little Stranger, for Washer was no longer astranger, and it seemed absurd to call him that.

  Sneaky at first refused to use that name, and when alone with theraccoon he would often call him "Brat" or "Scamp." Washer didn't mindthis, for he knew Sneaky didn't dare abuse him.

  In time the cubs grew so strong and active that they had to spend mostof their time out of doors. They trotted around in the bushes,exploring the woods further and further away from home. Sneaky andMother Wolf watched them with admiring eyes, and encouraged them inthis.

  "They will have to learn to hunt for themselves some day," Mother Wolfsaid, "and I hope they'll be good hunters."

  "If they take after their father they certainly will be," repliedSneaky, licking his chops with satisfaction.

  Mother Wolf did not notice this remark, for she was looking at Washer."I wonder what kind of a hunter Little Brother will be," she added."Will he hunt like a Wolf or--or like a Raccoon?"

  "Like a Raccoon," replied Sneaky. "Can a Wolf change his nature, or aRaccoon be other than a Raccoon?"

  Mother Wolf could not deny the truth of Sneaky's remarks, and shesighed. Somehow she had grown greatly attached to Little Brother, andshe wanted him to grow up and be like her own children.

  "He must be taught to hunt with the pack," she said suddenly. "He willlearn their ways, and d
o as they do. Yes, we must take him to the packand introduce him."

  Now this seemed to be a good time for Sneaky to get even with MotherWolf for thwarting him in bringing up Washer. What would the others ofthe pack say when she brought a Raccoon in place of a Wolf to beentered as a member? He smiled in his superior sort of way, and noddedhis head.

  "I think, my dear," he said, grinning, "you'd better leave LittleBrother home when we take our children to the pack. They'd laugh atyou, and maybe kill Little Brother."

  Mother Wolf's eyes looked a little troubled. She hadn't foreseen thisdifficulty, and it might be true that the other wolves would refuse toreceive Little Brother as a member. But she had grown so fond ofWasher that she was ready to stand up for him to the end.

  "If they won't receive him," she replied, "they'll never get mychildren. I'll not let them join the pack."

  Sneaky was immediately angered by this threat, and in spite of hisfear of Mother Wolf he jumped to his feet and let out a growl. "Youdon't dare do that!" he cried. "Our children must join the pack, andyou can't deny them. I'll see that they join. I'll take them myself."

  "Don't get excited, Sneaky," interrupted his mate. "You can't takethem unless I consent."

  This also was a law of the pack, and Sneaky was angrier than ever."Why do you always want to oppose me?" he cried. "The children are asdear to me as they are to you, and I must have something to say abouttheir bringing up. They cannot hunt alone in the woods. If you don'tlet them join I'll see Black Wolf, our leader. Yes, I'll see him atonce, and lay the whole matter before him."