THE GREAT WOODCHUCK SOCIETY. 217

“ You ’ve done very well,”’ said the Chairman, approvingly.
“T could n’t have done better myself. Is he fat? Let me
see. Will he skin casy ?”

The colored worlds went out on the President’s soft cheeks.
She turned as pale as the little foxberry flowers that the
Woodchuck Society had left fainting under their heavy feet.

“ Skin?” said the President. “Oh! Two claws off al-
ready; and such a palpitation of the heart, just hear him!
and such a pretty gray-brown fur! Sxrn him?”

“ Certainly,’ said the Chairman, a little out of temper.
“Give him to me. I’ll skin him. You needn’t. I don’t
know but you’ve done your share. You’ve done very well.
I’ll skin him myself. But of course he must be skinned.
Who ever heard of a Woodchuck Society that did n’t skin its
woodchucks ?” .

But the President held the fierce little quivering creature
in her apron tight and resolute. How she did it, I don’t
know. If you were to say that a girl never did it before nor
since, I should not deny you.

“ Now look here, I’ve caught this woodchuck, have n’t I?”

“ Ye-es.”

“ Bair?”

“ Yes.”

“ And honest ?”

peaiCS 2

“Then I say it’s fair and honest for me to have my say

about him. Yes,I do. Now Isay—”
10