“Oh, it is just fine!” cried Slicko, as she sat there, with her tail held over her head like a sun umbrella. “But don’t go too far with me, Tum Tum, please.”
“I won’t,” the elephant said. And pretty soon he turned back with Slicko, and left her on the same branch from which she had jumped—right near her aunt’s nest.
“Well, good-bye once more, Slicko,” called Tum Tum. “I may see you again to-morrow. And if you meet that Mappo, tell him he is wanted back in the circus.”
“I’ll tell him,” promised Slicko.
Once more the little jumping girl squirrel was all alone in the big woods. Somewhere in the forest were her father and mother, and her sister and brothers were somewhere about. But just where, Slicko did not know.
“Well,” thought the little creature, in a way squirrels and other animals have of thinking, “well, I guess I shall have to stay alone to-night again. And perhaps for many more nights and days. I wonder what will become of me, and if I shall ever see my folks again. Oh dear!”
Slicko felt a little sad for a moment, but then she knew that she would have to be brave, and do things for herself, since there was no one to help her.
“I think I’ll put some more leaves, and some cotton from the milkweed plant, in Aunt Whitey’s nest,” thought Slicko. “That will make it warmer.”
Fixing up the nest so it would be nicer to stay in took Slicko until nearly dark. Then, after she had carried up some nuts to the nest, so she would have them ready for morning, Slicko curled up in the soft leaves and went to sleep.
Nothing bothered her this night. No bad old owl, with big, round, staring eyes, tried to get the little squirrel. Perhaps the owl, which had tried it before, was sure the nest was empty, and that he could not get anything to eat from it. At any rate the owl did not come, and Slicko was glad of it.