"No, we have not caught him."

"How do you know?" said the boys.

"O, I can see the trap, and it is not sprung."

"Is not sprung?" said James, "what do you mean by _sprung_?"

"Shut. It is not shut. I can see it open, and of course the squirrel is
not there."

"O, he may be in," said Rollo, "just nibbling the corn. Do let us go and
see."

Jonas smiled, and said he could not go then, but he would look through
the spy-glass again towards noon. He then gave the glass to Rollo, and
it was carried back safely into the house.

James soon after went home, and Rollo sat down in the parlor to his
reading. Afterwards he came out, and went to building cities in a sandy
corner of the garden. He was making Rome,--for his father had told him
that Rome was built on seven hills, and he liked to make the seven hills
in the sand. He made a long channel for an aqueduct, and went into the
house to get a dipper of water to fill his aqueduct, when he met James
coming again. So they went in, and got the spy-glass, and asked Jonas to
go up and look again.

Jonas adjusted the glass, held it up to his eye, and looked some time in
silence, and then said,--