“Ice cream,” she screamed.
“Guess again!”
“Kittens.”
“You’re warmer,” he said, “but not right yet.”
Then, as he carefully lifted up his coat, “baby squirrel,” she cried, and clapped her hands and jumped up and down for joy.
Of course the ride had awakened the squirrels. They were still more frightened to be in this strange house with strange people standing around looking at them. They huddled very close together inside the hat and would not eat the nuts Alice brought them. Have you ever been so scared you could not eat?
“Don’t you think they would be more comfortable in a regular bed?” Alice asked her father and he agreed heartily.
So she ran and got her doll’s cradle and tucked them in carefully between the white sheets and rocked them just a little, so they would think they were in the branches of a tree and feel more at home. Alice’s mother had to remind her several times it was her bed-time, too, she did so hate to leave her dear little play-fellows.
By and by Mother Moon looked in at the window. Quick as a flash both squirrels jumped out of the cradle and ran to ask her the shortest way home. They found the window just a little open. You can imagine they did not stop to say good-bye to Alice or think to thank her for the supper they had not eaten.
Outside everything looked very strange and unreal. They had never been out alone at night before. Do you know why everything looks so different at night, even though it is most as light as day? It is because the shadows the moon makes are blacker and each one seems to hide something alive.