“What place is this?” asked Winkie, in a whisper. She was just a bit afraid.
“This is the woods,” her father answered. “We shall be safe in the dark, silent woods. Now we’ll curl up in the warm, dry leaves and go to sleep. In the morning we’ll find a hollow log, and you can see what the woods are like, Winkie.”
Though she did not know it then, Winkie was to have many adventures in these woods and the country roundabout.
CHAPTER V
WINKIE MEETS DON
Tired by their hard work in making their way out of their burrow, and weary with the journey to the woods, Winkie, Blinkie, and Blunk slept rather late the next morning. Father and Mother Woodchuck were up and astir early, however, rustling around among the dried leaves.
“How do you like it here, Mrs. Woodchuck?” asked her husband in a whisper, for he did not want to awaken the children.
“Of course,” answered his wife, “it isn’t as nice as the burrow we had to leave. But it will do very well for the summer. I think it will be very pleasant, if you think it will be safe.”
“It will be safe enough,” declared Mr. Woodchuck. “We can hide in the leaves and hollow logs if danger comes. And we are not far from the clover field. Besides, there is plenty of bark here to gnaw.”