Dark and brown and cool the door of the barn stood open, as if inviting me to shelter and safety; for I knew that in the darkest end of it lay a great heap of oat-straw.

I sped across the intervening sunshine into the darkness, and began burrowing in the straw like a wild animal, drawing out handfuls and laying them carefully aside, so that no disorder should betray my retreat.

When I had made a hole large enough to hold me, I got in, but kept drawing out the straw behind me, and filling the hole in front.

This I continued until I had not only stopped up the entrance, but placed a good thickness of straw between me and the outside.

By the time I had burrowed as far as I thought necessary, I was tired, and lay down at full length in my hole, delighting in such a sense of safety as I had never before experienced.