But Slicko had no idea of coming back so soon.
In a little while Bob had put some nuts on the ground outside the window, and near them, on a chair inside the room, he put the squirrel’s cage.
“Now I’ll hide and watch to see if Slicko comes back,” said Bob. But Slicko did not want to be seen, so she stayed up in the tree. She was more hungry than ever, but she would not go down and get the nuts. After a while Bob got tired of hiding and waiting.
“I’ll just go off and play ball,” he said to his sisters. “When I come back, maybe Slicko will be in her cage.”
Slicko waited until Bob had gone. The little squirrel looked down, and seeing Mollie and Sallie off on the front porch, playing with their dolls, she thought it would be safe to go down and get a few nuts.
Very carefully Slicko climbed down the tree. Stopping now and then, to make sure there was no danger, she reached the pile of nuts. She ate some, and oh! how good they tasted.
Then, all at once, Slicko heard something coming softly through the grass behind her. It was so soft that it sounded only like the wind blowing, but Slicko knew that it was not the wind.
Slicko turned quickly, just in time to see Muffins, the cat, make a spring for her.
“Oh my!” cried Slicko, and, turning quickly, the little squirrel made a mad dash for the pear tree. She had a nut in her paws, but she dropped that in running.
“Meaouw! Wow!” snarled Muffins, the big, black cat. She gave a spring, sticking out her claws, and trying to catch Slicko, but she was just too late. Slicko reached the tree, and up it she went almost to the very tip-top.