“I know you did!” called Winkie, laughing, for her brother had said this last thought aloud. “Ha! Ha! You can’t tag me!”

“Yes, I can! There! Now you’re it!” cried Blunk.

He gave a sudden jump, and so did Winkie, for she wanted to keep from being tagged as long as possible. Just as she and Blunk leaped, a harsh voice cried:

“Ha! There’s them pesky woodchucks in my clover again! I’ll fix ’em!”

There was a loud bang, like a clap of thunder, and as Blunk looked back he saw his sister falling in a crumpled heap.


CHAPTER II
WINKIE HEARS A NOISE

Blunk, the boy woodchuck, was so frightened by what he heard and especially by what he saw—his sister falling in a heap amid the clover—that for a little while he could do nothing. He stopped short, and hid down under a big bunch of the red blossoms and green leaves.

“Oh! Oh! What has happened?” thought poor Blunk.