The Summer Holidays | Page 8

Thomas, "and I hear that
he is a very bad boy."
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CHAPTER IX.
THE HARD BATTLE.

In coming home by some cherry trees that stood near the fence, Samuel
saw a little animal, larger than a bat, fly swiftly from one branch to
another. He asked his cousins if it was not a flying squirrel. Thomas
answered, "Yes. Several nests of them are in these trees. If you could
examine one of these squirrels closely, you would see that its wings, as
they are called, are not like bird's wings."
"They seem more like a bat's wings," said Samuel.
"So they are," replied his cousin; "only thin skins, stretched along the
sides from the fore legs to the hind ones. But these squirrels cannot fly
far, nor stay long in the air, as bats can. They merely dart swiftly from
one branch to another."
"What other kinds of squirrels are there?" asked Samuel.
"The grey squirrel," said Thomas, "much larger than this one. It is not
often found about here. Then the ground squirrel, that lives in the
ground, instead of on the trees. The common squirrel, such as you see
running about the fences and woods; and two or three other kinds.
Some people eat squirrels; but I have never tasted one."
The boys now heard some one screaming, and stopped to listen. "It
comes from that field," said John; "let us run and see what is the
matter." They did so, and soon saw that the big dog they had passed in
going to the creek, had got out, and was chasing a boy. This boy was
screaming with fear; and John perceived that he was the boy who had
been stoning frogs. But the boys ran with all their might to help him,
picking up such stones and sticks as lay on the ground, in their way.
When they reached the boy, he was pale with fear, for the dog was
close to him. Samuel also felt a little afraid; but he joined his two
cousins in trying to beat the dog back. The fierce animal got John's
stick in his mouth, and wrenched it out of his hand; but he kicked it in
the jaws, and so kept it off with his feet, while Thomas and Samuel
struck it over the head with all their might. As to the boy, he ran as hard
as he could, until he was out of sight. Thomas's stick now broke, but
Samuel ran his down the dog's throat, and John ran to bring a great pole
which was lying a little distance off. With this they kept the dog from

biting them, until some men came running down a lane, and over into
the field. They had seen the dog run out of the farmer's yard, and were
anxious to kill it. So they threw a rope round its neck, and dragged it
away. They said it should be shot. The boys were very warm, and could
scarcely get their breath. They walked, therefore, to a tree which stood
in the field, and sat down to get cool, and rest themselves. Thomas said
he would be glad if the dog were killed, for such an animal was not fit
to keep. "If we had each had a good stout club," replied his brother, "he
would never have run after any of us again."
They looked for the boy, but he could not be seen; and after resting
themselves, they walked home. When Mr. Harvey heard of their battle
with the dog, he said that it was a great blessing they had not been
bitten; for that in summer the bite of a dog often caused madness,
followed by certain death.
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CHAPTER X.
ABOUT CORN AND THE USES OF ANIMALS.
When Samuel had been at his uncle's about two weeks. Mr. Harvey told
him one morning, that he might go with his cousins to a field where
early corn was growing and pull some to cook, if it was ripe. They had
a merry time among the high corn. As they came back to the house,
carrying their basket of ears, Samuel asked his cousins, why corn was
sometimes called Indian corn.
"It is because it formed the chief food of the Indians, before white men
came to this country," replied Thomas. "Father says its proper name is
maize. It was first found in this country; and there are some parts of
America where it is used altogether instead of wheat or rye. Did you
ever taste cakes made from it?"
"Yes," said Samuel; "they were sweeter than wheat bread; but I would

not like to eat them every day."
"Nor I either," said John; "but I like Indian meal with sugar, eggs, and
milk in it, and then