A magpie flew by, making a grab for the squirrel's meal. "Get outta here," yelled Siggy. "And the plan I have in mind will take care of these pesky critters too," he added angrily.

"Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak," mused Suzy glaring at the magpie. And the other squirrels demanded to know how this was to be done.

"It's simple really," explained Siggy. "Golf can't be played without balls. And if we grab enough of them they're sure to get fed up and move on somewhere else."

Everyone nodded in agreement. The balls would be easy to pop into their mouths, for they were just about the size of a crab apple. But what, they wondered, would they do with them afterwards?

"If they manage to find the balls again?" said Suzy. "Then all our efforts will have been in vain."

Siggy finished off the last morsel of his lunch before answering. "Not if we chew them up so badly, theyÕll be fit for trash only," he replied.

"And the magpies," questioned Suzy. "How will this chase them away? They don't play golf."

"No, but they live in our tree. And if we stash the wrecked balls in their nests, they'll soon be looking around for another place to live."

It was a marvellous plan, and everyone was anxious to get started on it right away.