Outside the cabin a howl of joy went up from the pursuers.
“We’ve got him now!” they shouted. But Mr. Henry still quietly smoked in the doorway and eyed them composedly.
“The skunk,” he said, at last, “is in my house. It is safe with me.”
“But that’s the black skunk! That’s old Striped Coat!” shouted one. They stood about arguing until another of their number called disgustedly. “Ah! can’t you see? He wants all the reward for himself. Come on back.” Then they trooped away, vowing all kinds of vengeance; but Mr. Henry still smoked.
He was however thinking very hard. Unless he did exactly the right thing he saw very clearly that this splendid little animal of the woods would sooner or latter be killed or captured. The news of where it had last been seen would spread only too quickly. Presently he called in the reluctant Mike and helped him make a hole in one corner of the cabin floor to serve as a safer retreat for Striped Coat who by using it could go under the cabin itself.
And Striped Coat seemed to understand, for all that night he could be heard digging under the floor to make the place even more cozy and safe.
CHAPTER XI
THE WINTER SLEEP
Mr. Henry had taken such a liking to Striped Coat that he wanted to make sure the wild wood pussy would like the cabin well enough to make it a permanent home. With this in mind he built an underground drain leading under it to a pile of stones nearby. Safety was even more important than comfort in the matter of a den, and through this back door Striped Coat could feel able to go or come when he chose. The stone pile hid the entrance and allowed no animal larger than he, to enter through its cracks.
It was a fine arrangement and Striped Coat liked it. He built a big nest of dry grass, leaves and cotton waste under the cabin and slept there instead of in his corner back of the wood box, but at night he often came out of the hole in the floor and walked around the room while Mr. Henry was eating supper, showing friendliness but in a dignified, distant way. After eating a few scraps he would go back to the hole, then out through the drain to the stone pile around which he would walk for a time scenting the air and making very sure all was well before leaving for the woods.
