“But—but I’m afraid,” said Nutto, who, you remember, had said he was not at all frightened.
“Oh, you mustn’t be afraid,” said Mr. Squirrel. “There is nothing to hurt you. I’m sure you can jump if you try. Give a good, hard spring, and you’ll land down here on the limb beside me. Besides, if you do fall, the ground is covered with soft leaves, and you won’t be hurt. Come on. Jump!”
But the little squirrels did not want to.
“You go first,” said Nutto to Fluffy.
“No, I’d rather watch you go first,” spoke Fluffy.
“Maybe Chatter will go,” suggested Nutto. “The girls are not as heavy as we are, and they won’t be hurt if they fall.”
“One of you boys ought to go first,” said Slicko. “You are always saying you’re not afraid. You jump first, Nutto, and Chatter and I will come after you.”
“Oh, I don’t want to,” said Nutto.
And there the four little squirrels stood on the limb near the nest, each one afraid to jump. Their papa stood waiting for them, and he kept thinking that if the hunter and his dog should come along then, the little squirrels would be in danger of being shot, if they did not know how to jump out of the way, and hide.
“Come on. You must learn to jump!” called Mrs. Squirrel.