“We’re going to teach her tricks,” added Alice.
“Huh! Woodchuck!” cried Uncle Elias. “The pesky creatures! If I had my way they’d all be shot or trapped. They eat my clover. I saw some of ’em eating it the other day.”
If he had only known it, Winkie was one of those very woodchucks! But Uncle Elias didn’t know.
“Woodchuck!” he exclaimed. “Eating up everything a poor farmer can raise! I’ll kill that woodchuck of yours if I catch her out!”
“Well, you won’t catch her, for we aren’t going to let her out,” said Alice, and she and her brother felt bad because of the harsh words of Uncle Elias.
It is true, in some places, that woodchucks do harm when they are very numerous, and farmers don’t like them. But Larry and Alice did not see what harm poor little Winkie could do, especially if they kept her shut up in a pen.
“Look here!” said Uncle Elias at last. “Will you sell me that woodchuck for a dollar, Larry?”
“A dollar?” repeated the boy.
“Yes, I’ll give you a dollar for her,” went on Uncle Elias, putting his hand in his pocket.