Benny Badger couldn't understand that remark. The white-footed gentlemanhad had plenty of time to spend while watching him dig the den. AndBenny said as much, too.
"That's exactly the point," said the deer mouse. "I've spent so muchtime already that I've used it all up."
Well, Benny Badger couldn't understand that either.
"Used up all the time!" he cried scornfully. "Isn't there plenty morewhere the other time came from?"
"Oh, to be sure--to be sure!" said the deer mouse, who seemed ready toagree to anything--except to Benny's invitation. "But there is anotherreason why I mustn't visit your new home this morning: I'm hungry. Ihaven't had my breakfast yet."
Suddenly Benny Badger remembered that he was hungry himself.
And as he stared at plump Mr. Deer Mouse a certain idea came into hishead. And he looked Mr. Deer up and down before he spoke.
"I haven't had my breakfast either," he said at last. "I'm ready for agood meal. Come right in and join me!"
But something made Mr. Deer Mouse say, "No, thank you!" _Joining abadger at breakfast!_ Somehow that had a dangerous sound.
XXIII
MR. DEER MOUSE IS TIMID
Benny Badger began to lose patience with the deer mouse. He was one ofthe most timid persons Benny had ever seen. And Benny was on the pointof telling him that he hadn't even the courage of a prairie dog.
But suddenly a new idea flashed into his head. He thought he knew whatwas troubling Mr. Deer Mouse.
"When I asked you to join me at breakfast I didn't mean what you thoughtI did," Benny announced. "You thought--didn't you?--that I meant tobreakfast on _you_."
Mr. Deer Mouse admitted faintly that he had had some such notion.
"How ridiculous!" Benny Badger cried. "Why, you're so quick that I couldchase you all day--and all night, too--without catching you. You're toospry for me. So we might as well put such an idea out of our minds."
Benny Badger sighed as he spoke. And he couldn't help noticing, oncemore, how very, very plump Mr. Deer Mouse was.
"What I meant by your joining me at a good meal was simply this," hecontinued: "If you'll only stay with me, and follow me quietly whereverI go, there's a good chance that you'll have a bone to gnaw before agreat while."
All that seemed very pleasant to the deer mouse.
"Thank you ever so much!" he murmured. "I'll be glad to accept yourinvitation, so long as we aren't going to breakfast inside your newhome."
So they set out. And for a time Mr. Deer Mouse followed Benny Badger allaround the neighborhood.
Though Benny kept a sharp watch on all sides, he couldn't seeanything--or anybody--that promised a meal. And he decided at last thathe would have to make a change of some sort in his plans.
So he sat down and beckoned to Mr. Deer Mouse to move nearer.
"You go ahead of me, and I'll follow you," he said. "You're smaller thanI am, and perhaps you won't frighten the game the way I do."
Mr. Deer Mouse did not seem to care for the suggestion.
"You might make a mistake," he objected. "If I went ahead of you, youmight think that I was the game. And there might be a terribleaccident."
Benny Badger sniffed.
"Nonsense!" he cried. "If I did make such a mistake, I promise you thatI wouldn't let it happen more than once."
But the deer mouse proved to be a stubborn chap. He declined flatly todo as Benny wanted.
"Very well!" said Benny Badger gruffly. "I'm sorry that you don't careto make things as pleasant as possible for a newcomer. Where I used tolive, people couldn't do enough for me."
"I believe you," Mr. Deer Mouse retorted. "In fact, I've heard that aman even set a trap for you, right in your own doorway."
Of course, that news came to Benny Badger as a great surprise. He hadhad no idea that Mr. Deer Mouse knew anything about him.
"Somebody has been gossiping!" Benny Badger growled angrily. "Who toldyou that?"
"Goodness me! Everybody has heard about it," Mr. Deer Mouse replied."Don't you know that news travels fast over the plains?"
"Does it travel as fast as I do?" Benny Badger asked him suddenly.
Before the words were out of his mouth he leaped at Mr. Deer Mouse. Andfor one as heavy as he was, Benny leaped with surprising swiftness.
But quick as he was, he was too slow to catch Mr. Deer Mouse napping.That nimble fellow seemed to melt away right beneath Benny Badger'spaws.
For one moment Benny was sure he had him. And the next moment he wassure he hadn't.
He couldn't see his small neighbor anywhere. In fact, it was a wholeweek before Benny Badger set his eyes on him again. And to Benny'samazement, Mr. Deer Mouse was just as polite as ever. He asked Benny howhe liked his new home, and if he had found the people in theneighborhood as pleasant as he had expected.
"My house is a fine one," Benny told him. "And I dare say theneighborhood is as good as I could expect. Certainly there's a plenty ofGophers and Prairie Dogs here."
"I suppose"--said Mr. Deer Mouse--"I suppose some of them join you atbreakfast every morning."
Benny Badger looked at him sharply. He was all ready to get angry. ButMr. Deer Mouse was so polite, and seemed so respectful, that Benny wasashamed to lose his temper.
He actually winked at Mr. Deer Mouse. And he felt more cheerful than hehad since the rancher spoke ill of him.
"I'm glad I moved," he told Mr. Deer Mouse. "This is a fine place. I'mgoing to live here the rest of my life."
And he did.
THE END
SLEEPY-TIME TALES
(Trademark Registered.)
By ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY
AUTHOR OF THE TUCK-ME-IN TALES and SLUMBER-TOWN TALES
=Colored Wrapper and Text Illustrations Drawn by HARRY L. SMITH=
This series of animal stories for children from three to eight years,tells of the adventures of the four-footed creatures of our Americanwoods and fields in an amusing way, which delights small two-footedhuman beings.
THE TALE OF CUFFY BEAR THE TALE OF FRISKY SQUIRREL THE TALE OF TOMMY FOX THE TALE OF FATTY COON THE TALE OF BILLY WOODCHUCK THE TALE OF JIMMY RABBIT THE TALE OF PETER MINK THE TALE OF SANDY CHIPMUNK THE TALE OF BROWNIE BEAVER THE TALE OF PADDY MUSKRAT THE TALE OF FERDINAND FROG THE TALE OF DICKIE DEER MOUSE THE TALE OF TIMOTHY TURTLE THE TALE OF BENNY BADGER THE TALE OF MAJOR MONKEY THE TALE OF GRUMPY WEASEL THE TALE OF GRANDFATHER MOLE THE TALE OF MASTER MEADOW MOUSE
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
TUCK-ME-IN TALES
(Trademark Registered)
By ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY
AUTHOR OF THE SLEEPY-TIME TALES and SLUMBER-TOWN TALES
=Colored Wrapper and Text Illustrations Drawn by HARRY L. SMITH=
A delightful and unusual series of bird and insect stories for boys andgirls from three to eight years old, or thereabouts.
THE TALE OF JOLLY ROBIN
Jolly Robin spreads happiness everywhere with his merry song.
THE TALE OF OLD MR. CROW
A wise bird was Mr. Crow. He'd laugh when any one tried to catch him.
THE TALE OF SOLOMON OWL
Solomon Owl looked so solemn that many people thought he knew everything.
THE TALE OF JASPER JAY
Jasper Jay was very mischievous. But many of his neighbors liked him.
THE TALE OF RUSTY WREN
Rusty Wren fought bravely to keep all strangers out of his house.
THE TALE OF DADDY LONG-LEGS
Daddy Long-Legs could point in all directions at once--with his different legs.
THE TALE OF KIDDIE KATYDID
He was a musical person and chanted all night during the autumn.
THE TALE OF BETSY BUTTERFLY
Betsy spent most of her time among the flowers.
&nb
sp; THE TALE OF BUSTER BUMBLEBEE
Buster was clumsy and blundering, but was known far and wide.
THE TALE OF FREDDIE FIREFLY
Freddie had great sport dancing in the meadow and flashing his light.
THE TALE OF BOBBY BOBOLINK
Bobby had a wonderful voice and loved to sing.
THE TALE OF CHIRPY CRICKET
Chirpy loved to stroll about after dark and "chirp."
THE TALE OF MRS. LADYBUG
Mrs. Ladybug loved to find out what her neighbors were doing and to give them advice.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
SLUMBER-TOWN TALES
(Trademark Registered.)
By ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY
AUTHOR OF THE SLEEPY-TIME TALES and TUCK-ME-IN TALES
=Colored Wrapper and Text Illustrations Drawn by HARRY L. SMITH=
These are fascinating stories of farmyard folk for boys and girls fromabout four to eight years of age.
THE TALE OF MISS KITTY CAT
When Mrs. Rat saw Miss Kitty Cat washing her face, she knew it meant rain. And she wouldn't let her husband leave home without his umbrella.
THE TALE OF HENRIETTA HEN
Henrietta Hen was an empty-headed creature with strange notions. She never laid an egg without making a great fuss about it.
THE TALE OF THE MULEY COW
The Muley Cow belonged to Johnnie Green. He often milked her; and she seldom put her foot in the milk pail.
THE TALE OF TURKEY PROUDFOOT
A vain fellow was Turkey Proudfoot. He loved to strut about the farmyard and spread his tail, which he claimed was the most elegant one in the neighborhood.
THE TALE OF PONY TWINKLEHEELS
Pony Twinkleheels trotted so fast you could scarcely tell one foot from another. Everybody had to step lively to get out of his way.
THE TALE OF OLD DOG SPOT
Old dog Spot had a keen nose. He was always ready to chase the wild folk. And he always looked foolish when they got away from him.
THE TALE OF GRUNTY PIG
Grunty pig was a great trial to his mother. He found it hard not to put his feet right in the feeding trough at meal time.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
Sleepy-Time Tales
(Trademark Registered)
By ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY
_Wrappers and illustrations in color._
_Drawings by HARRY L. SMITH_
These little books for little people tell of the adventures of thefour-footed creatures of our American woods and fields in an amusing waywhich delights small two-footed human beings; and at the same time, inthe shortcomings of Cuffy Bear and his neighbors, children are quick torecognize their own faults and to take home the obvious lessons.
Tuck-Me-In Tales
(Trademark Registered)
By ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY
_Wrappers and illustrations in color._
_Drawings by HARRY L. SMITH_
The stories of Jolly Robin, Old Mr. Crow and the other birds are asunusual as they are delightful, since this is almost the first timethese feathered friends of the kiddies have appeared in print. Thesebird stories, like the Sleepy-Time animal stories, are based upon actualnatural history facts, but while the youngster eagerly listens to them,a moral foundation, of deeper importance than that in natural history,is being laid.
Slumber-Town Tales
(Trademark Registered)
BY ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY
_Wrappers and illustrations in color._
_Drawings by HARRY L. SMITH_
The kiddies will love these fascinating stories of Farmyard Folk, whichtell of the daily doings of Muley Cow, Old Dog Spot, and theircompanions. These tales will show them that they have much in commonwith Henrietta Hen and the others, and will develop in them a wholesomerespect for those good friends.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, NEW YORK
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
Page 34, "you do" changed to "do you" (where do you think)
Page 56, "pairie" changed to "prairie" (of a prairie chicken)
The Tale of Benny Badger Page 5