Whitefootkeptongoingandgoing.Everytimehethoughtthathewassotiredhemuststop,hewouldthinkofShadowtheWeaselandthengoonagain. ByandbyhebecamesotiredthatnoteventhethoughtofShadowtheWeaselcouldmakehimgomuchfarther. Sohebegantolookaboutforasafehiding-placeinwhichtorest. Nowthehomewhichhehadlefthadbeenasnuglittleroombeneaththerootsofacertainoldstump. Therehehadlivedforalongtimeinthegreatestcomfort. Littletunnelsledtohisstorehousesanduptothesurfaceofthesnow. IthadbeenasplendidplaceandoneinwhichhehadfeltperfectlysafeuntilShadowtheWeaselhadappeared. Hadyouseenhimplayingaboutthere,youwouldhavethoughthimoneofthelittlepeopleoftheground,likehiscousinDannyMeadowMouse. ButWhitefootisquiteasmuchathomeintreesasontheground. Infact,heisquiteasmuchathomeintreesasisChatterertheRedSquirrel,andalotmoreathomeintreesthanisStripedChipmunk,althoughStripedChipmunkbelongstotheSquirrelfamily. Sonowthathemustfindahiding-place,Whitefootdecidedthathewouldfeelmuchsaferinatreethanontheground. “IfonlyIcanfindahollowtree,”whimperedWhitefoot.“Iwillfeeleversomuchsaferinatreethanhidinginornearthegroundinastrangeplace.” SoWhitefootbegantolookforadeadtree. Yousee,heknewthattherewasmorelikelytobeahollowinadeadtreethaninalivingtree.Byandbyhecametoatall,deadtree. Heknewitwasadeadtree,becausetherewasnobarkonit. But,ofcourse,hecouldn’ttellwhetherornotthattreewashollow. Imeanhecouldn’ttellfromtheground. “Oh,dear!”hewhimperedagain.“Oh,dear! IsupposeIwillhavetoclimbthis,andIamsotired.Itoughttobehollow.Thereoughttobesplendidholesinit. ItisjustthekindofatreethatDrummertheWoodpeckerlikestomakehishousein. IshallbeterriblydisappointedifIdon’tfindoneofhishousessomewhereinit,butIwishIhadn’tgottoclimbittofindout.Well,heregoes.” Helookedanxiouslythisway.Helookedanxiouslythatway.Helookedanxiouslytheotherway.Infact,helookedanxiouslyeveryway. Buthesawnooneandnothingtobeafraidof,andsohestartedupthetree. Hewashalf-wayupwhen,glancingdown,hesawashadowmovingacrossthesnow. OncemoreWhitefoot’sheartseemedtojumprightupinhisthroat. Thatshadowwastheshadowofsomeoneflying. Therecouldn’tbetheleastbitofdoubtaboutit. Whitefootflattenedhimselfagainstthesideofthetreeandpeekedaroundit. HewasjustintimetoseeagrayandblackandwhitebirdalmostthesizeofSammyJayalightintheverynexttree. Hehadcomealongnearthegroundandthenrisensharplyintothetree. Hisbillwasblack,andtherewasjustatinyhookontheendofit.Whitefootknewwhoitwas.ItwasButchertheShrike.Whitefootshivered. 
