clumsy as she was, was clever enough never to let any of the quills
touch her little ones. She was warm and soft enough underneath, and
her babies were just as comfortable as any other animals' babies are.

Although Pero had laid in her stock for the winter, she went out every
night to get food. By doing this she achieved two things: she kept her
winter stock, and she got fresh food for the time being.

Everything went on very well, and Pero and her babies were perfectly
happy in their little home, when one night Pero had a startling
adventure.

She was going along doing her best to walk quietly, although this was
next to impossible, for the quills in her tail would rustle, no matter
how carefully she walked, when she suddenly became conscious of a
tall, dark form coming towards her. She knew well enough what that
was. It was a man, and anything in the shape of a man had to be most
carefully guarded against.

Without an instant's hesitation, Pero suddenly doubled her nose
between her forelegs, and rolled herself into a tight ball, leaving
all her long, prickly spikes outside. This was a very convenient way
of avoiding danger, but the only drawback to it was that, while she
was coiled up, she could see nothing and hear very little.

However, she knew that the wisest thing was to keep perfectly still.
And when she did this she was seldom touched. This time, however,
something turned her over, and over, and over, till she felt sick and
faint and dizzy; so dizzy at last that she suddenly unrolled herself a
little bit in order to see where she was. To her great joy, she saw