“The mother is inside the nest with her young ones,” said Charley.  “They are about a fortnight old.  These hedgehogs are very tame and know me well.  I’ll try to get her to come out of the nest.”

Charley went to the cabbage bed and found some slugs, which he put on to a leaf, and called to the hedgehog.  She soon made her appearance, and the little ones with her, so the boys had a good look at the funny little things.

“I say, Charley, you won’t want six hedgehogs,” said Tom.  “Can’t you spare me a pair, when these little ones have grown bigger?”

“I daresay I can,” said Charley, “I suppose your mother wouldn’t mind having them in the garden:  they are apt to make little holes in the paths, but then they eat slugs and insects.  They are quiet, too, in the day time, but get lively towards evening.

“They are useful little creatures, and soon get tame.  I have heard of their being kept in kitchens to eat up the crickets and beetles there, sleeping all day and awake at night when these creatures are about.  They eat vegetables and soaked bread, and are easy little things to keep.”

“I wish I could see one roll itself into a ball,” said Jack.

“Oh, that’s soon done,” said Charley.  He took a stick and gently poked the hedgehog they saw first.  “There, see now! he is bending his head, and drawing his skin over it like a hood, and closing himself up.  See how stiffly his spikes stick out all over the round ball that he is.”

“Well, that is funny,” said Jack.  “I wonder how he manages to do it?”

“He knows the trick of it,” said Tom; “for you can’t possibly open him against his will.”

The boys left the hedgehog to uncurl himself when he pleased, and next went to a cucumber frame where Charley kept a pet toad.

“Don’t toads spit poison?” asked Jack.

“No; that’s all nonsense.  Their skins secrete something unpleasant, which they can make come out of it when they are frightened or in danger.  Dogs don’t like catching hold of a toad with their mouths; but they are perfectly harmless, in fact they are very useful in a garden, as they eat slugs, beetles, caterpillars, and earwigs.  See, this one will eat out of my hand; but I must find something for him first.”

Charley soon found a fat little slug, which he brought to the toad; and he at once ate it from his hand.

“I’ll find you something else, old boy;” and Charley soon found a fly, which was snapped up by the toad in a twinkling.

“What beautiful bright eyes he has!” said Jack.

“Yes; and he makes good use of them, too.  Didn’t you notice how quickly he darted out his tongue after the fly?—­I say, Mr. Toad, I believe you are growing out of your skin.”

“What do you mean, Charley?”

“Don’t you see he has grown so much lately that his skin is very tight, and it is looking dull.  He’ll soon cast it off.  It will split down his back, and then he will draw his legs out of it.—­And you’ll have a nice new suit complete, won’t you, old Toady?”