They all seemed to be
waiting for the doctor, or Papa, or somebody, to pull back the
white sheet.
The doctor bent over the bed and pushed the sheet to one
side. He unbuttoned Mister Ward's hunting coat and ran his hand
down inside the big pocket.
"Here're some soggy matches," he said, "and two shells-and
his bottle. It's empty. Here, Jodie, set it up there on the
mantel. Well, I'll be damned! A squirrel!"
Doctor Elton pulled a chunky red squirrel out of Mister
Ward's coat pocket and held it up so we could all see it. Nobody
said a word. The doctor looked at the squirrel again and felt of
it.
"Umm-mm-m. A young fox squirrel. A pretty thing."
"Can I hold him some?" I asked the doctor.
"Bandershanks!" Papa seemed surprised to see me, but he
didn't scold. He only watched as Doctor Elton handed me the fat,
curled-up little squirrel. I ran my fingers along over its back
and smoothed down its soft, thick, reddish-brown fur. Its tail
was bushy and fluffy as could be.
"Better give him back to me, honey," the doctor told me a few
minutes later.
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