before they carried it away to their storehouses. And many a battle the
red and the black squirrels had, and sometimes the grey joined with the
red, to beat the black ones off the ground.

Nimble-foot and his sister kept out of these quarrels as much as they
could; but once they got a severe beating from the red squirrels for not
helping them to drive off the saucy black ones, who would carry away the
little heaps of wheat, as soon as they were dry.

"We do not mean to trouble ourselves with laying up winter stores," said
Nimble one day to his red cousins; "don't you see Peter, the miller's man,
has got a great wagon and horses, and is carting wheat into the barn for
us?"

The red squirrel opened his round eyes very wide at this speech. "Why,
Cousin Nimble," he said, "you are not so foolish as to think the miller is
harvesting that grain for your use. No, no, my friend; if you want any,
you must work as we do, or run the chance of starving in the winter."

Then Nimble told him what their cousin Blackie had said. "You were wise
fellows to believe such nonsense!" said the red squirrel. "These mills and
barns are all stored for the use of the miller and his family; and what is
more, my friend, I can tell you that men are no great friends to us poor
squirrels, and will kill us when they get the chance, and begrudge us the
grain we help ourselves to."

"Well, that is very stingy," said Velvet-paw; "I am sure there is enough
for men and squirrels too. However, I suppose all must live, so we will
let them have what we leave; I shall help myself after they have stored it
up in yonder barn."