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diff --git a/21203.txt b/21203.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5ce2f21 --- /dev/null +++ b/21203.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2711 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Tale of Grandfather Mole, by Arthur Scott +Bailey, Illustrated by Harry L. Smith + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Tale of Grandfather Mole + + +Author: Arthur Scott Bailey + + + +Release Date: April 22, 2007 [eBook #21203] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF GRANDFATHER MOLE*** + + +E-text prepared by Joe Longo and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed +Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original lovely illustrations. + See 21203-h.htm or 21203-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/2/0/21203/21203-h/21203-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/2/0/21203/21203-h.zip) + + + + + +THE TALE OF GRANDFATHER MOLE + +Sleepy-Time Tales +(Trademark Registered) + +by + + +ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY + +Author of +_Tuck-Me-in Tales_ +(Trademark Registered) + + + 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 MAJOR MONKEY + THE TALE OF BENNY BADGER + + + + +[Illustration: Grandfather Mole Made a Rush for Mr. Meadow Mouse. +_Frontispiece_--(_Page 85_)] + + + + +Sleepy-Time Tales +(Trademark Registered) + +THE TALE OF GRANDFATHER MOLE + +by + +ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY + +Author of +"Tuck-Me-in Tales" +(Trademark Registered) + +Illustrated by Harry L. Smith + + + + + + + +New York +Grosset & Dunlap +Publishers +Made in the United States of America +Copyright, 1920, by +Grosset & Dunlap + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER PAGE + I A QUEER OLD PERSON 1 + II WHAT THE CAT CAUGHT 5 + III A BREAKFAST LOST 10 + IV A NEW WAY OF TAKING A STROLL 15 + V JIMMY RABBIT CAN'T WAIT 19 + VI A HEARTY EATER 24 + VII TWO WORM-EATERS 29 + VIII LOSING HIS BEARINGS 34 + IX GOOD NEWS FROM BELOW 38 + X MRS. ROBIN'S WISH 43 + XI SURPRISING GRANDFATHER MOLE 47 + XII MR. BLACKBIRD'S ADVICE 52 + XIII TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF 56 + XIV THE NEW SUNSHADE 61 + XV TWO AND A TOADSTOOL 65 + XVI GRANDFATHER MOLE'S VISITOR 70 + XVII MR. CROW SCOLDS 76 +XVIII A TALK WITH MR. MEADOW MOUSE 81 + XIX MR. CROW'S APOLOGY 86 + XX A SIGN OF RAIN 91 + XXI MRS. WREN TRIES TO HELP 96 + XXII TWO FAMOUS DIGGERS 102 +XXIII SEEING A SAMPLE 107 + XXIV FOLLOWING THE PLOUGH 112 + XXV STUBBORN AS EVER 116 + + + + +THE TALE OF GRANDFATHER MOLE + +I + +A QUEER OLD PERSON + + +THERE was a queer old person that lived in Farmer Green's garden. Nobody +knew exactly how long he had made his home there because his neighbors +seldom saw him. He might have been in the garden a whole summer before +anybody set eyes on him. + +Those that were acquainted with him called him Grandfather Mole. And the +reason why his friends didn't meet him oftener was because he spent +most of his time underground. Grandfather Mole's house was in a mound at +one end of the garden. He had made the house himself, for he was a great +digger. And Mr. Meadow Mouse often remarked that it had more halls than +any other dwelling he had ever seen. He had visited it when Grandfather +Mole was away from home, so he knew what it was like. + +Some of those halls that Mr. Meadow Mouse mentioned ran right out +beneath the surface of the garden. Grandfather Mole had dug them for a +certain purpose. Through them he made his way in the darkness, whenever +he was hungry (which was most of the time, for he had a huge appetite!). +And when he took an underground stroll he was almost sure to find a few +angleworms, which furnished most of his meals. + +To be sure, he did not despise a grub--if he happened to meet one--nor a +cutworm nor a wire-worm. + +The wonder of it was that Grandfather Mole ever found anything to eat, +for the old gentleman was all but blind. The only good Grandfather +Mole's eyes did him was to let him tell darkness from light. They were +so small that his neighbors claimed he hadn't any at all. + +Another odd thing about this odd person was his ears. The neighbors said +they couldn't see them, either. But they were in his head, even if they +didn't show. And Grandfather Mole himself sometimes remarked that he +didn't know how he could have burrowed as he did if he had been forever +getting dirt in his eyes and ears. He seemed quite satisfied to be just +as he was. + +And he used to say that he didn't know what good eyes were to anyone +whether he was under the ground or on top of it! + +Liking to dig as he did, he certainly had nothing to complain about. His +long nose was as good as a drill. And his front legs were just long +enough so that he could reach his large, spade-like feet beyond his nose +and throw the dirt back. His fur lay in one direction as easily as in +another, never troubling him in the least when he was boring his way +through the dry, loose soil of Farmer Green's garden. + +So in spite of what might seem great drawbacks to others, Grandfather +Mole was contented with his lot. The only thing he was ever known to +grumble about was the scarcity of angleworms. + + + + +II + +WHAT THE CAT CAUGHT + + +EVERYBODY knew the cat at Farmer Green's to be a great hunter. She had +long since disposed of the last mouse that was so foolish as to venture +inside her home. And being very big, and not at all timid, she had made +such a name for herself in the neighborhood that even the rats looked on +her as a monster to be avoided. + +Now it often happened that this capable cat turned up her nose at the +saucer of milk that Farmer Green's wife set before her with great +regularity. And off she would go--sometimes to the barn, sometimes to +the fields--to see what she could find that would furnish her both food +and a frolic. For she thought it great sport to capture some small +creature. + +She was crossing the garden early one morning, on her way to the meadow, +when she came upon Grandfather Mole. And having no pity for him--in +spite of his blindness--she thought there was no sense in going any +further for her breakfast. She would enjoy it right there in the garden. +But first she would play with Grandfather Mole, before eating. For she +was a pleasure-loving dame. She must have her sport, no matter if her +breakfast waited. + +Grandfather Mole had blundered that morning. Burrowing his way just +under the surface of the ground, he had broken through the sun-baked +crust of the garden before he knew it. And as he groped about, surprised +to find himself in the open, Miss Kitty had pounced upon him. + +Grandfather Mole struggled to escape. And his captor let him go, to give +herself the pleasure of pouncing upon him again. She knew well enough +that he couldn't get away from her. He could run quite spryly for an old +gentleman--it is true. But when he couldn't see where he was going, of +what use was running? + +Farmer Green's cat didn't know the answer to that question herself. She +captured and freed Grandfather Mole several times. And to tell the +truth, she couldn't help wishing he could see, so he could make the game +livelier. But she was the sort of cat that believes in making the best +of things. And she kept pretending that Grandfather Mole almost got away +from her. She would let him run about for a few moments and then she +would leap upon him as if she had nearly lost him. + +It was great fun for the cat. But Grandfather Mole did not enjoy it in +the least. He thought such treatment far from neighborly. And he quite +agreed with old Mr. Crow, who had come hurrying up to see what was going +on. + +"Give him a chance! Give him a chance!" Mr. Crow called to the cat, as +he glared down at her from a tree close by. + +The cat had been about to spring at Grandfather Mole again when Mr. Crow +spoke to her. It was only natural that she should pause and turn her +head. And she looked at Mr. Crow none too pleasantly. + +"I'll thank you to mind your own affairs," she said, and her voice was +not nearly so polite as her words. "No gentleman would interrupt a lady +at her breakfast," she added. + +Something seemed to amuse Mr. Crow, for he laughed loudly. The cat +didn't know what he was laughing at. And after staring at him a few +moments longer she turned her head to look at Grandfather Mole. + +It wasn't more than ten seconds since she had taken her eyes off him. +But Grandfather Mole had vanished. + + + + +III + +A BREAKFAST LOST + + +WHEN Farmer Green's cat looked around and discovered that Grandfather +Mole had disappeared from the garden a puzzled look came over her face. +She couldn't think where he had gone in just a few seconds. + +But she knew then why Mr. Crow had laughed. And she was not pleased. + +"Where is he?" she asked Mr. Crow. "You interrupted me at my breakfast +and now I've lost it." + +Mr. Crow was rocking back and forth on his perch, for a joke--on anybody +except himself--always delighted him. + +[Illustration: Grandfather Mole Escapes From Miss Kitty. (_Page 8_)] + +"Grandfather Mole is right here in the garden," he declared. + +"Then he must have hidden beneath a vegetable," the cat observed. + +"I shouldn't say that, exactly," Mr. Crow replied. + +"How far away is he?" the cat demanded. + +"That would be hard to tell," Mr. Crow answered. + +Farmer Green's cat had never liked Mr. Crow, for no particular reason. +And now she certainly had a very special reason for being angry with +him. + +"It's all your fault," she scolded. "If you hadn't spoken to me I'd +never have taken my eyes off Grandfather Mole.... The least you can do," +she added, "is to tell me this instant where Grandfather Mole is." + +"I've already told you," Mr. Crow reminded her. "He's here in the +garden. Find him if you can!" + +At that Farmer Green's cat began to run up and down between the rows of +vegetables. But she had no luck at all. So after a while she came back +and told Mr. Crow that she didn't believe him. + +"Tut, tut!" said Mr. Crow. "You haven't looked in the right place." + +"I've searched the whole garden!" the cat cried. + +"Oh, no!" Mr. Crow exclaimed. "You've looked only on top of the ground. +If you want to find Grandfather Mole you must look beneath the surface." + +The cat was greatly disappointed when she heard that. + +"You don't mean to say that he went into a hole, do you?" she asked. + +"I do," Mr. Crow declared. + +"I don't see one anywhere," she said. + +"If I had I'd have been more careful how I let him run about." + +"Ah!" said Mr. Crow. "I see you don't know that Grandfather Mole always +carries a hole around with him, wherever he goes. He believes in having +one handy, in case of sudden need." + +"I didn't see it," the cat told him angrily. + +"Of course not!" Mr. Crow agreed. "How could you see a hole until it's +put in a certain place, ready to use?" + +Well, the cat was puzzled. Somehow she couldn't quite understand Mr. +Crow's remarks. And yet there seemed some sense in them, too. But she +pretended that she understood, because she didn't want him to think she +was stupid. And without thanking him for his explanation (for she was +still angry) she turned and went off towards the meadow. + +The whole affair amused Mr. Crow greatly. It kept him in a good humor +all that day. And he went about telling everybody how Grandfather Mole +had dug himself out of sight in the garden, almost under the cat's nose. + +For that was exactly what had happened. + + + + +IV + +A NEW WAY OF TAKING A STROLL + + +GRANDFATHER MOLE was digging a new gallery under the garden, leading out +from his house into a field of corn, where he expected to find a good +many fine grubs. + +His work was half done, and he was under the cabbage-patch, when he +found himself in the open air. Farmer Green's hired man's hoe had left a +small hollow between two heads of cabbage; and as luck had it, +Grandfather Mole's gallery led straight into it. So the first thing he +knew, there he was right out in the light of early morning! And somebody +called out in a cheery sort of voice, "How-dy-do, Grandfather Mole! +It's a pleasure to see you! And isn't this a beautiful day?" + +Grandfather Mole knew at once that he had nothing to fear, for he +recognized Jimmy Rabbit's voice. And he knew, too, without being told, +that he was in the cabbage-patch. For Jimmy Rabbit could be nowhere else +at breakfast time. + +"Good morning!" said Grandfather Mole. "I hope you are enjoying your +breakfast." + +"I am," Jimmy Rabbit answered. "And as soon as I've finished this leaf +I'm eating now, I'm going to take a stroll. Won't you join me?" + +"I don't care if I do," said Grandfather Mole--meaning that he'd be glad +to walk with Jimmy. And in about half a minute Jimmy Rabbit said he was +ready. + +"Very well!" Grandfather Mole told him. "Let's be on our way! I'll see +you at the edge of the duck-pond." And to Jimmy Rabbit's amazement he +stuck his nose straight down into the loose dirt, thrust out his strong +fore-feet, and was out of sight before Jimmy Rabbit could speak. + +The duck-pond was just beyond the garden fence. And since Grandfather +Mole had accepted Jimmy's invitation there was nothing for Jimmy Rabbit +to do but to go to the edge of the pond and wait. + +He grew very restless, for it was a long time before Grandfather Mole +appeared. But at last the old gentleman's head came popping up out of +the ground, and the owner of the head cried, "Here I am! And I'm glad to +see you haven't kept me waiting, young man. I dug so fast I was afraid +I'd get here before you did." + +Really, he had made astonishing speed for one who had tunnelled his way +underground. And being a polite person, Jimmy Rabbit could only tell +Grandfather Mole that he had been very quick. + +"And now we're this far," Grandfather Mole remarked, "I'd like to stroll +over in the meadow--if that suits you." + +Jimmy Rabbit said that it did. There was clover in the meadow. And he +had waited so long for Grandfather Mole that he had begun to feel hungry +again. A luncheon of clover-tops! It would be exactly what he needed. + +"Then let's be on our way!" Grandfather Mole cried again. "I'll join you +on the other side of the duck-pond!" + + + + +V + +JIMMY RABBIT CAN'T WAIT + + +AFTER telling Jimmy Rabbit that he would meet him on the other side of +the duck-pond, Grandfather Mole waded into the water and started to swim +across. + +Why he did that, instead of walking around on the shore, Jimmy Rabbit +couldn't understand. He was so amazed that he stood still and stared at +Grandfather Mole. + +One thing was certain: Grandfather Mole could travel much faster through +the water than he could underground. His strong legs and his broad, +spade-like feet helped to make him a fine swimmer. And Jimmy Rabbit had +noticed for the first time that Grandfather Mole's hind feet were +webbed. It was no wonder that he felt quite at home in the duck-pond, +which was made for web-footed folk. + +Jimmy Rabbit was so interested in watching Grandfather Mole swim that he +didn't start to run around the pond until the swimmer had almost reached +the other side. Then Jimmy remembered suddenly that he had to meet +Grandfather Mole over there. So he raced along the edge of the duck-pond +at top speed. And since he was a very fast runner--for short +distances--he met Grandfather Mole just as the old chap was crawling up +the bank. + +"There!" Grandfather Mole exclaimed. "I almost beat you this time, young +man! If you're going to take a morning stroll with me you'll have to +step lively." + +Of course Jimmy Rabbit was too polite to explain that he had waited a +long time while Grandfather Mole was tunnelling his way from the garden +to the pond, and that he hadn't begun to run around the pond until +Grandfather Mole had swum almost across it. He merely smiled and replied +that he would do his best to keep up, for he shouldn't like to make +Grandfather Mole wait, especially since he had invited Grandfather Mole +to go walking with him. + +"You don't mind staying here in the sunshine, I hope, while my coat +dries?" Grandfather Mole inquired. "As soon as it's dry we'll start for +the meadow." + +Though Jimmy Rabbit was in a great hurry to reach the place where the +clover grew he said that he would be glad to wait with Grandfather Mole. +"The sun feels good on this cool morning," he observed. "And it's +cheerful, too." + +"Do you really think so?" Grandfather Mole asked him. And when Jimmy +Rabbit assured him that he did, Grandfather Mole muttered that it was +the strangest thing he ever heard of. As for him, he much preferred the +darkness of his cool, damp galleries under the ground. And the only +reason why he wanted his coat to dry was so that the dirt wouldn't stick +to it. + +It seemed to Jimmy Rabbit that Grandfather Mole's coat would never get +dry enough to suit the old gentleman. But at last he announced that he +was ready to stroll on. And when Jimmy Rabbit cried that he was ready, +too, Grandfather Mole said, "Then let's be on our way! And I'll meet +you----" + +"Where the clover grows!" Jimmy interrupted. + +Grandfather Mole had already buried his nose in the sand and was fast +digging himself out of sight. And Jimmy thought that if he must wait for +him again he would wait in a pleasant place. + +So Jimmy Rabbit hurried to the meadow. And as he lunched on luscious +clover-tops he reflected that Grandfather Mole had a queer notion of +taking a stroll with a friend. He made up his mind then and there that +he would never again invite Grandfather Mole to walk with him. + + + + +VI + +A HEARTY EATER + + +A GREAT eater was Grandfather Mole. And having an enormous appetite he +was fortunate in being expert at finding angleworms. + +To be sure, he had one advantage that the birds, for instance, didn't +enjoy: he was able to prowl about his galleries through the ground and +find the angleworms right where they lived. He didn't need to wait--as +the birds did--until an angleworm stuck his head above ground. + +Mrs. Jolly Robin had often wished--when she was trying to feed a +rapidly-growing family--that she could hunt for angleworms as +Grandfather Mole did. And this summer it seemed to her that she never +would be able to take proper care of her nestful of children. + +There was one of her family in particular that was especially greedy. +Mrs. Robin had begun to suspect that he was no child of hers, but a +young Cowbird. Almost as soon as she had finished building her nest she +had discovered a strange-looking egg there. It had been the first to +hatch. And now the youngster that came from it was just enough older +than the rest of her children to jostle them, and to grab the biggest +worms for himself. + +It was no wonder that Mrs. Robin needed help. And seeing Grandfather +Mole one morning, she explained her difficulty to him, asking if he +wouldn't be so kind as to capture angleworms for her. + +"Why, certainly! Certainly!" said Grandfather Mole. + +And Mrs. Robin breathed a sigh of relief. She felt that her troubles +were ended. + +"Will you begin to help me at once?" she asked Grandfather Mole. + +"I'm sorry that I can't do that," he told her. "You see, I haven't had +my breakfast yet. So of course I must catch a few angleworms for +myself." + +Mrs. Robin was a bit disappointed. But she told Grandfather Mole that it +was all right--that she knew a person of his age ought not to go without +his breakfast. + +So Grandfather Mole went back into the hole through which he had lately +come up, first saying however that he would return after he had +breakfasted. + +Mrs. Robin then set to work herself, to find what she could to feed her +clamoring family. Though she hurried as fast as she could, by the time +the morning was almost half gone her children were still hungry; and to +Mrs. Robin's distress Grandfather Mole had not yet showed himself again. + +Mrs. Robin had been watching for him. And she had about given him up in +despair when all at once he rose out of the ground. + +"Good!" she cried. "Now you can help me, for you must have had your +breakfast by this time." + +"Yes, I have!" said Grandfather Mole. "I've just finished. But I always +begin my luncheon at this hour. So if you don't mind I'll go down into +my galleries and hunt for a few angleworms; and when I've had a good +meal I'll come back here." + +Well, what could Mrs. Robin say? She nodded her head; and she hoped, as +Grandfather Mole vanished, that perhaps he would eat only a light +luncheon. + +But he never reappeared until mid-afternoon. And since he announced then +that he was ready to begin his dinner Mrs. Jolly Robin saw that she +could expect no help from him whatsoever. + +She was terribly upset. But there was nothing she could do except to +tell her husband that he would have to spend all his time catching +angleworms for the family. And since he was glad enough to do that, Mrs. +Robin managed to feed her children all they needed. Even the young +Cowbird in her nest had all he wanted. + +And Mrs. Robin remarked that it was lucky her husband hadn't such a +terrible appetite as some people's--meaning Grandfather Mole's, of +course. + + + + +VII + +TWO WORM-EATERS + + +THERE was one special reason--among others--why Grandfather Mole didn't +like to show himself above ground in the daytime. This reason +was--hawks! And there was something else that made him dislike to appear +at night, too. This something else was--owls! + +But of the two, Grandfather Mole disliked hawks the more, because they +could see so far, while he (poor old fellow!) couldn't even see the end +of his own nose, though goodness knows it was long enough! Since Henry +Hawk could sit in a great elm far up the road and see him the moment he +stuck his head out of the ground, while Grandfather Mole couldn't even +see the tree, it was not surprising that Grandfather Mole preferred to +stay below while Henry Hawk was awake and on watch. + +Down in his galleries and chambers where it was dark as a pocket +Grandfather Mole enjoyed himself thoroughly. It was lucky he was fond of +worms and grubs. If he hadn't been it would be hard to say what he could +have found to eat--unless it was dirt. There was plenty of that where he +spent his time. But luckily he didn't have to eat it. He did enjoy +digging in it, however. So it is easy to see that the way he lived +suited him perfectly. + +Not every one, of course, would have felt as Grandfather Mole did about +angleworms, and grubs and dirt, or dampness, or the dark. Many of his +bird neighbors, for instance, liked the same things to eat that he did. +But most of them--except such odd ones as Solomon Owl, and Mr. +Nighthawk, and Willie Whip-poor-will--loved the bright sunshine. + +Spending a summer in Pleasant Valley was a small gentleman of the well +known Warbler family, who had so great a liking for worms that he was +known as the Worm-eating Warbler. This tiny person spent little or none +of his time in the tree-tops, but chose to stay near the ground. And +more than once he had seen Grandfather Mole in Farmer Green's garden. He +had heard somehow of Grandfather Mole's tastes and habits. And he was +inclined to believe that it was Grandfather Mole that was to blame for +the scarcity of worms in the neighborhood. It must be confessed that he +felt none too kindly towards Grandfather Mole. He thought that it would +be a good thing if somebody could persuade that odd, old chap to stay on +top of the ground, instead of lurking most of the time down below where +he could catch the worms right where they lived. + +And one day the Worm-eating Warbler spoke to Grandfather Mole when he +happened to see him come out of a hole. + +"Why don't you live up here where you can get plenty of fresh air and +sunshine?" he asked. "Don't you know they'd be good for your health?" + +Grandfather Mole turned his head toward the speaker. That was as near as +he could come to staring at him, since he couldn't see him. Grandfather +Mole did not like the Worm-eating Warbler's remarks in the least! + +"Why don't you"--he inquired--"why don't you come down into the ground +and enjoy the close, damp air and the darkness? They'd be good for your +health. I've thrived down below all my life; and I'm considerably older +than you, young sir!" + +Grandfather Mole's retort struck the Worm-eating Warbler dumb. He could +think of nothing more to say. So he flew off and hid in some raspberry +bushes. And he couldn't help saying to himself what a strange world it +was and what strange persons there were in it. + + + + +VIII + +LOSING HIS BEARINGS + + +IT often happened, when Grandfather Mole came up from his home under +Farmer Green's garden, that he turned straight around and went back +again. Sometimes, to be sure, he ran about a bit in a bewildered way, +before he disappeared. For he never felt at home in the world above; and +he was always uneasy until he felt the darkness closing in around him. + +So nobody thought it strange when Grandfather Mole came tumbling up +amongst the turnips one day and began running blindly around the garden, +zig-zagging in every direction. Nobody that saw him paid much attention +to him. But at last Rusty Wren, who had come to the garden to look for +worms, noticed that Grandfather Mole was quite upset over something. He +didn't seem to have any notion of going back into the ground, but kept +twisting this way and that, with his long nose turning here and turning +there, in a manner that was unmistakably inquiring. + +"What's the matter?" Rusty Wren finally asked him, for his curiosity +soon got the better of him. + +But Grandfather Mole didn't appear to hear. Perhaps he didn't want to +answer the question. + +"Have you lost something?" Rusty Wren cried. + +But Grandfather Mole never stopped to reply. He never stopped running +to and fro. And Rusty Wren became more curious than ever. It was plain, +to him, that something unusual was afoot. And he wanted to know what it +was. "Can't I help you?" he asked in his shrillest tones, flying close +to Grandfather Mole and speaking almost in his ear--only Grandfather +Mole had no ears, so far as Rusty Wren could see. "Can't I help you?" + +"Yes, you can!" Grandfather Mole answered at last. "If you wish to help +me, for pity's sake go away and keep still! I don't want the whole +neighborhood to come a-running. The cat will be here the first thing we +know." + +Rusty Wren felt sure, then, that Grandfather Mole was in trouble. And if +he was worried about Farmer Green's cat, why didn't he dig a hole for +himself at once, and get out of harm's way? + +Since Rusty Wren didn't know, he asked Grandfather Mole--in little more +than a whisper. But Grandfather Mole only shook his head impatiently, as +if to say that digging a hole wouldn't help him this time. + +Meanwhile some of Rusty Wren's friends had come up to see what was going +on. And talking in low tones, so that they wouldn't attract the cat's +attention, they agreed with him that there was some mystery about +Grandfather Mole. But not one of them knew what it could be. + +"He's lost something!" Rusty Wren declared. + +"There's no doubt of that," Jolly Robin chimed in. + +"What can it be?" little Mr. Chippy piped in his thin voice. + +"I know!" Rusty Wren exclaimed abruptly. "It's his bearings! Grandfather +Mole has lost his bearings!" + + + + +IX + +GOOD NEWS FROM BELOW + + +WHEN Rusty Wren decided that Grandfather Mole had lost his bearings and +that that was the reason why he was running about the garden in a most +peculiar fashion, the rest of the birds began to wonder whether they +oughtn't to help Grandfather Mole find them, since he was blind. + +The Worm-eating Warbler, however, who was none too friendly towards +Grandfather Mole, said that he had his doubts as to Grandfather Mole's +blindness. + +"If he can find angleworms in the dark he certainly ought to be able to +find his bearings in broad daylight," he sneered. + +But Rusty Wren pointed out that nobody could _see_ bearings, anyhow--a +remark that puzzled the Worm-eating Warbler more than a little. To tell +the truth, he had no idea what bearings were. And at last he admitted +that he didn't know. + +"What are bearings, anyhow?" he asked Rusty Wren. "I don't understand +what you mean." + +"Oh, I mean that Grandfather Mole has lost his way," Rusty Wren +explained. "He doesn't know how to get home." + +The Worm-eating Warbler asked why Grandfather Mole didn't dig a new hole +for himself, if he had lost the one he used when he came up in the +garden. And when he saw that Rusty Wren couldn't answer his question the +Worm-eating Warbler said he had his doubts as to Rusty Wren's ideas +about Grandfather Mole. + +"It's my opinion," he went on, "that Grandfather Mole has eaten all the +worms that lived in the ground; and now he's hoping to find some in the +air." + +Although everybody laughed at such a notion, the Worm-eating Warbler +declared that he had a right to his own belief. And when he added that +he hadn't seen an angleworm for two days there were a few of his bird +companions that began to think perhaps there was some reason in his +remarks, after all. + +But Rusty Wren declined to change his opinion. + +"There's only one way to be sure; and that's to ask Grandfather Mole!" +little Mr. Chippy cried. + +"It wouldn't do any good," Rusty told him. "Grandfather Mole won't +answer any questions. But he's in some sort of trouble. There's no +doubt of that." + +They looked down at Grandfather Mole, who was still scurrying +frantically about the garden. If he heard their talk he did nothing to +let them know it. And they had begun to think that they would never know +his secret when a person who looked somewhat like Grandfather Mole +thrust her head and shoulders out of a hole in the ground. + +"That"--Rusty Wren whispered--"that is Grandfather Mole's daughter. I +know, for I've seen her before." And listening sharply, the bird people +heard her say, "Don't worry, Father! I've found them." + +Grandfather Mole didn't wait for anything more. He didn't even wait +until he had found the opening in which his daughter had appeared. He +began to dig right where he stood. And he was out of sight in short +order. + +Although the bird people didn't know it, he was anxious to reach his +grandchildren. He had them out for a stroll through his underground +galleries; and walking behind him they had taken a wrong turn when +Grandfather Mole didn't know it. After looking for them in vain down +below he had feared that they might have found their way into the open +air. And that was why he was running about in such a distracted +fashion. + + + + +X + +MRS. ROBIN'S WISH + + +IN order to provide enough food for her children--as well as for the +young Cowbird that she was bringing up--Mrs. Jolly Robin had to work +hard every day. Though her husband gladly did what he could to help her, +he complained sometimes about the stranger in their nest. + +"Our family is certainly big enough without him," he often remarked. "We +ought to turn him out to shift for himself." + +But Mrs. Robin wouldn't hear of such a thing. + +"It's not his fault that his mother left him here--in the egg," she +would remind Jolly Robin. "If we set him adrift the poor child would +starve--unless the cat got him." + +And then Jolly Robin would feel ashamed that he had even thought of +being so cruel to an infant bird, even if he was a Cowbird. So he would +set to work harder than ever gathering worms and grubs and bugs; and +before long he would find himself singing merrily, "Cheerily, cheer-up!" +because it made him happy to know that he was doing somebody a good +turn. + +Once in a while Grandfather Mole thrust his head out of the soil of the +garden, as if he were watching Mr. and Mrs. Robin at their task. Of +course he couldn't see what they were doing. But Mrs. Robin said that it +gave her a queer turn to have Grandfather Mole stick his nose out of +the ground at her very feet. And since he was too busy catching +angleworms for himself to help her and her husband, she wished he would +keep out of sight. + +Sometimes Grandfather Mole would speak to Mrs. Robin, or her husband; +for he could hear them talking. And when you hear anybody in a garden +exclaiming, "Oh, here's a big one! The children will like him, if I can +ever pull him loose!" you may know at once that the speaker is talking +about an angleworm. There can be no mistake about it. + +When Grandfather Mole overheard Mrs. Robin making such a remark he would +quite likely advise her to "try a smaller one." + +Such a suggestion only made Mrs. Robin pull all the harder. + +"Grandfather Mole wants all the big ones himself," she would splutter +as soon as she and her husband were where Grandfather Mole couldn't +listen to what she said. And then, probably, Jolly Robin would laugh and +tell her not to mind, for there ought to be worms enough for everybody. + +More than once, when Grandfather Mole had advised her to "try a smaller +one," Mrs. Robin had declared afterward that she wished she could catch +the biggest angleworm in the whole garden, just to spite old Grandfather +Mole and teach him that other people had their rights, as well as he. + +"Well, well!" Jolly Robin always exclaimed with a laugh. "Well, well! +Perhaps some day you will find the grandfather of all the angleworms!" + + + + +XI + +SURPRISING GRANDFATHER MOLE + + +SOMEHOW Grandfather Mole heard that Mrs. Robin hoped to capture the +biggest angleworm in the garden. So the very next time he happened to +find her at work there he offered her another bit of unsought advice. +And Mrs. Robin liked it no better than any other of Grandfather Mole's +counsels. + +"Don't waste your valuable time looking for the biggest angleworm in the +garden!" he told her. "I've caught him already." + +Well, for once Mrs. Robin almost said something tart to the old +gentleman. But she checked herself in time; not by biting her tongue, +however, but by clapping her bill upon a fat bug that was trying to hide +under a potato-top. And away she flew to her nest, leaving Grandfather +Mole to talk to the air, if he wished. + +"She went off without thanking me," he muttered. To be sure, he hadn't +seen Mrs. Robin go, but he had heard the beat of her wings as she began +her flight. He didn't know that he had barely escaped a sharp scolding. + +"What do you think Grandfather Mole has just said to me?" Mrs. Robin +asked her husband, whom she found at the nest feeding their children. + +Jolly Robin made three guesses. But none of them was right. So his wife +repeated Grandfather Mole's remarks. And as usual Jolly Robin laughed. + +"I shouldn't pay any attention to what Grandfather Mole says," he +advised his wife. "I should keep an eye out for big angleworms, if I +were you. Grandfather Mole may be mistaken. He may have caught only the +second biggest one." + +What her husband said made Mrs. Robin feel better. And she declared that +she would surprise Grandfather Mole yet. + +Strange to say, the very next day Grandfather Mole spoke to Mrs. Robin +again and told her that "there was no use trying to surprise him, so she +needn't waste her valuable time trying to do it." + +This news made Mrs. Robin quite speechless. She couldn't think how +Grandfather Mole had happened to learn of her remark, unless her husband +had been gossiping with his friends. And if that was the case, Mrs. +Robin didn't mean to let anything of the kind occur again. So she went +on searching for her children's breakfast and said nothing to any one +about Grandfather Mole's latest bit of advice. + +Mrs. Robin worked harder than ever that day. It seemed to her husband +that she had eyes for nothing but worms. Certainly she paid little +attention to him. So he couldn't help feeling pleased when she called to +him toward evening. + +He flew quickly to her side. And he saw at once that she needed his +help. For Mrs. Robin had an end of a pinkish-white worm in her bill, on +which she was tugging as hard as she could. + +"I think it's the biggest one in the garden!" she managed to gasp. "But +it simply won't come up out of the ground." + +"It must be the grandfather of them all!" Jolly Robin cried. And laying +hold of the worm himself, he pulled with her. + +Somehow there seemed a great commotion in the loose dirt at their feet, +as they struggled to get the worm out of its hiding-place. And at last, +to their great delight, they felt it--saw it--coming. + +Then a shower of dirt flew into their faces and both Jolly Robin and his +wife tumbled over backward. + +It was no worm that Mrs. Robin had found, but Grandfather Mole's +hairless tail sticking out of the ground. Together they had dragged him +to the surface. + +And if Mrs. Robin hadn't found the grandfather of all angleworms, at +least she had found Grandfather Mole. + +And she had given him a surprise, too. + + + + +XII + +MR. BLACKBIRD'S ADVICE + + +OUT of the pine woods beyond the meadow Mr. Blackbird sometimes came to +breakfast in Farmer Green's garden. He claimed that he came there to +look for angleworms. But those that knew him best said that he wasn't +above taking an egg out of some small bird's nest. And some whispered +that he had even been known to devour a nestling. + +Whenever he visited the garden he told everybody that he should never +come there again because Grandfather Mole was too greedy. Mr. Blackbird +said that Grandfather Mole didn't leave enough angleworms to make it +worth his while to fly across the meadow. And one day when he chanced to +meet Grandfather Mole he told him that it was a shame, the way he was +treating Farmer Green. + +"Farmer Green is good enough to let you live underneath his garden. But +instead of showing him that you are grateful you eat all of his +angleworms you can." + +Grandfather Mole was thunderstruck. After pondering over Mr. Blackbird's +speech for a few moments he raised his head. "What shall I do?" he asked +in a plaintive voice. + +"I should think you'd turn over a new leaf," Mr. Blackbird told him +severely. + +And Grandfather Mole promised that he would. + +"I'll turn one over to-day," he said, "if you think it will please +Farmer Green." + +"There's no doubt that it will," Mr. Blackbird assured him in a +slightly more amiable tone. + +A hopeful look came into Grandfather Mole's face. And after thanking Mr. +Blackbird for his advice, he turned away and burrowed out of sight. + +Then Mr. Blackbird selected a good many choice tidbits here and there, +which he bolted with gusto. And after he had eaten what Jolly Robin, who +had been watching him, declared afterward to have been a hearty meal and +big enough for any one, Mr. Blackbird began to scold. He announced that +there wasn't any use of his looking for anything more to eat in that +neighborhood, for there wasn't enough there to keep a mosquito alive. +And thereupon he flew away. Nor was anybody sorry to see him go. + +Most of the feathered folk agreed that Mr. Blackbird ought not to have +spoken as he did to Grandfather Mole. But Jolly Robin's wife said that +she was glad there was somebody with backbone enough to tell Grandfather +Mole the truth. + +"If there were many more like Grandfather Mole in the garden we'd all +have to spend our summers somewhere else," she said, "or starve." + +Jolly Robin told her that she would find things much the same, no matter +where she lived. "What's a garden, without an old mole or two?" he asked +the company in general. And since nobody answered, Jolly Robin seemed to +think he had silenced Mrs. Robin--for once. + +But it was not so. + +"A garden without an old mole in it would be just what I'd like," she +cried. + +"Well, anyhow, my dear," her husband said, "please remember that +Grandfather Mole is going to turn over a new leaf." + + + + +XIII + +TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF + + +SEVERAL days passed before Mr. Blackbird returned to Farmer Green's +garden. And when at last he flew across the meadow one morning and +perched on the garden fence, to take a look around before beginning his +breakfast, he saw that Mrs. Jolly Robin was making countless trips +between the garden and her home. Early as it was she was hard at work +feeding her nestlings. + +"How are the pickings this morning?" Mr. Blackbird called to her. + +"I'm finding plenty for my children to eat--if that's what you mean," +Mrs. Robin replied somewhat haughtily. Mr. Blackbird laughed in the +sleeve of his black coat. The rascal delighted in using language that +did not please Mrs. Robin. + +"If the pickings are good, then there must be fewer pickers," he +remarked with a grin. "I suppose Grandfather Mole has taken my advice +and turned over a new leaf." + +"I don't know about that," said Mrs. Robin. "Anyhow, there are plenty of +good crawling things stirring after last night's shower. Everything +seems to be coming up out of the garden this morning." + +She had scarcely finished speaking when Grandfather Mole poked his head +from beneath a head of lettuce. Mr. Blackbird was just about to begin +his breakfast. But he paused when he saw Grandfather Mole. + +"Hello!" he cried. "What brings you to the surface?" + +Grandfather Mole knew Mr. Blackbird's voice at once. + +"I'm glad you're here!" he exclaimed. "I want you to tell Farmer Green +the news. For I know he'll be delighted to hear it." + +Then Mr. Blackbird did an ungentlemanly thing. He winked at Jolly +Robin's wife. But he was a rowdy. So what could you expect of him? + +"You've turned over a new leaf, have you?" he asked Grandfather Mole. + +"Yes!" said Grandfather Mole. "And not only one! I've turned over a new +one every day since I last saw you." + +Mr. Blackbird replied that he was glad to know it. + +[Illustration: Grandfather Mole Greets Mr. Meadow Mouse. (_Page 61_)] + +"At least," Grandfather Mole continued, "I've turned over the newest +leaves I could. Of course you can't turn over a leaf unless it's big +enough to turn over. When a leaf is so young that it wraps itself around +the main stalk it's useless to try to turn it over. And it's a great +waste of time waiting for it to grow.... But it's easy to turn over a +big one." Suiting his action to his words, Grandfather Mole stepped up +to a loose-growing head of lettuce, and thrusting his long nose under a +drooping leaf he lifted it up and pushed it over. + +As soon as he moved aside a little the leaf promptly righted itself. +Grandfather Mole felt it brush his back as it swept into place again. + +"Of course," he remarked, "you can't expect a leaf to stay turned over, +unless you want to stand and hold it in place. And that would be a great +waste of time--especially for one as hungry as I am." And poking his +drill-like snout into the earth, he drew forth a huge angleworm, which +quickly disappeared down his throat. + +Mr. Blackbird choked; and not over anything he was eating, either. He +choked because he was angry. + +"It's no use," he said gloomily to Mrs. Robin, as soon as he could +speak. "It's no use trying to get Grandfather Mole to stop eating +angleworms. In my opinion, he's too old to turn over a new leaf--the way +I meant. + +"You can't teach an old Mole new tricks," said Mr. Blackbird. + + + + +XIV + +THE NEW SUNSHADE + + +GRANDFATHER MOLE was resting in the shade of a toadstool. It was a +stifling, sultry day. And having come up into the garden on some errand +or other, Grandfather Mole had found the sunshine upon his back +altogether too hot for his liking. + +He was thinking how comfortable his own cool, dark chambers were, and +wondering why anybody should prefer to live above ground in the heat, +when a voice called to him, "What a fine umbrella you have! It must be a +handy thing to have in one's family!" + +It was Mr. Meadow Mouse speaking. And since Grandfather Mole knew him +to be a harmless sort of person he asked him to come over and join him. + +"To be sure, there's not room enough for two under my sunshade," +Grandfather Mole said. "But you can stand just outside it. And perhaps +the sight of me in the shade may help you to feel cooler, even if you +are in the sun." + +Well, Mr. Meadow Mouse smiled a bit, all to himself. He knew that +Grandfather Mole was odd. And being a good-natured person and wishing to +please Grandfather Mole, Mr. Meadow Mouse joined him. + +"What do you think of it now?" Grandfather Mole demanded of Mr. Meadow +Mouse, almost as soon as he had stepped just outside the shade of the +toadstool. "Don't you feel cooler already? I shouldn't care to stay in +the garden a second without this sunshade." + +Mr. Meadow Mouse wanted to be polite. So he replied that perhaps he did +feel a bit more comfortable. + +"You ought to own one of these," said Grandfather Mole. + +"I've heard they're not always easy to find," Mr. Meadow Mouse remarked. + +"That's true," Grandfather agreed. + +"You don't--ahem!--you don't use this one all the time, do you?" Mr. +Meadow Mouse inquired. + +"No!" Grandfather Mole answered. "Not when it rains!" + +"Then," said Mr. Meadow Mouse, "maybe you'll let me borrow your umbrella +(or sunshade, as you call it) some rainy day." + +"Certainly! You shall take it the next time it rains!" Grandfather +promised. + +As Mr. Meadow Mouse murmured, "Thank you!" he looked up at the sky with +a knowing eye. He could see signs there. But of course Grandfather Mole +had never seen the sky in all his life. + +"The very next time it rains!" Mr. Meadow Mouse repeated, as if he +wanted to be sure there was no misunderstanding about it. + +"Certainly! Certainly!" Grandfather Mole said. "And as I've remarked +before, I'd be glad to let you come under the sunshade now, beside me, +if there was only room enough for both of us." + +"You needn't trouble yourself," Mr. Meadow Mouse told him. And once more +he scanned the sky eagerly. + +"What's that?" Grandfather Mole cried suddenly, as he started up in +alarm. "What struck the top of my sunshade?" + +"I don't know," said Mr. Meadow Mouse. "I don't know what it was, unless +it was a rain-drop." + + + + +XV + +TWO AND A TOADSTOOL + + +GRANDFATHER MOLE had promised Mr. Meadow Mouse that he would loan him +his toadstool sunshade--or umbrella--the very next time it rained. But +when he agreed to that, Grandfather hadn't the slightest idea there was +a shower coming. Mr. Meadow Mouse, however, had watched the dark clouds +gathering in the sky. But he had said nothing of what he saw. And when +the rain-drops began to patter on top of Grandfather Mole's sunshade Mr. +Meadow Mouse cried in a brisk voice: "I'll thank you, sir, for the loan +of your umbrella!" + +Now, Grandfather Mole had never used his umbrella until that very day. +It was not a quarter of an hour since he had discovered it standing in +the garden. And when he had made his promise to Mr. Meadow Mouse he had +had no idea that it was going to rain so soon. He didn't like the +thought of loaning a new umbrella the first day he owned it. + +"Can't you wait?" he asked Mr. Meadow Mouse. "Wouldn't some other day +suit you just as well?" + +But Mr. Meadow Mouse reminded him that a promise was a promise. + +"Well, then--can't you squeeze in beside me?" Grandfather Mole asked +him. + +But Mr. Meadow Mouse said that he didn't see how he could do that. "Now +that it rains there's no more room under your umbrella than there was a +few moments ago, when the sun was shining." + +"You're mistaken," said Grandfather Mole. + +Mr. Meadow Mouse looked surprised. "I don't understand how that can be," +he muttered. + +"This toadstool is growing bigger all the time," Grandfather Mole +explained. + +"Very well!" said Mr. Meadow Mouse. "If you think there's room for two, +I'll crowd in." As he spoke he wedged himself between Grandfather Mole +and the stem of the toadstool umbrella. And immediately Grandfather Mole +found himself out in the rain. The old gentleman didn't like that very +well; and he said as much, too. + +"It's plain that your umbrella didn't grow as much as you thought," Mr. +Meadow Mouse retorted. + +"You're mistaken," Grandfather Mole told him once more. "My umbrella +grew exactly as much as I expected it would. But there was one thing I +forgot." + +"What was that?" + +"You were growing at the same time," Grandfather Mole replied. + +"Yes! And there's another thing that you forgot!" Mr. Meadow Mouse +exclaimed. + +"I doubt it," said Grandfather Mole. And though he didn't ask what it +was, Mr. Meadow Mouse told him. + +"You were growing too!" he cried. + +But Grandfather Mole couldn't agree with Mr. Meadow Mouse. + +"I'm too old to grow any more," he said. + +"Pardon me," said Mr. Meadow Mouse, "but I don't see how a person with +your well known appetite can help growing fat. And anyhow I'm sorry +you're out in the rain. But it's certainly not my fault." + +"We won't discuss that," Grandfather Mole told him. "And since I don't +want to get wet I'm going home.... I hope you'll take good care of my +new sunshade. And please don't forget to return it!" he added anxiously. + +"I'll leave it right here for you," Mr. Meadow Mouse promised. + +Though Grandfather Mole was far from satisfied he crawled into the +ground and left Mr. Meadow Mouse to enjoy the rain pattering on the top +of the toadstool. And the next day, to his great relief, Grandfather +Mole found his sunshade in the same spot. Mr. Meadow Mouse hadn't taken +it away. To tell the truth, he had tried to; but he had found that he +couldn't move it. Grandfather Mole said it was the first sunshade that a +borrower had ever returned to him. + +And that was the truth. For he had never owned a sunshade before. + + + + +XVI + +GRANDFATHER MOLE'S VISITOR + + +WHATEVER Grandfather Mole's neighbors might say of him, they never could +claim that he was lazy. He was always busy. When he wasn't eating or +sleeping you could be quite sure that he was digging. He never seemed to +be satisfied with his house, but was forever making what he called +"improvements." If there was one thing he liked, it was plenty of halls. +He had halls running in every direction. And since a person could never +tell in which one Grandfather Mole might be, visitors might roam about +his dark galleries a long time without finding him. + +If anybody happened to point out to Grandfather Mole that his house had +such a drawback, Grandfather Mole always answered that he liked his +house just as it was and that he wouldn't change it for anything--except +to add a few more halls. + +He was very set in his ways. He claimed that he wouldn't be comfortable +in a house that had maybe only two halls--a front and a back one, as +Billy Woodchuck's dwelling was known to contain. + +Maybe that was the reason why Grandfather Mole never went visiting. And +as for anybody else visiting him--well, what was the use when most +likely you never could find him? + +Nevertheless there was one of Grandfather Mole's neighbors who called at +his house frequently, and for the very reason that he knew he could +probably do exactly as he pleased. Far from trying to find Grandfather +Mole, Mr. Meadow Mouse always took pains to avoid him. And if by chance +he met Grandfather Mole in one of his galleries Mr. Meadow Mouse was +always extremely polite--and ready to run at a moment's notice. + +During corn-planting time Mr. Meadow Mouse went regularly down into a +gallery of Grandfather Mole's that ran under a corner of the cornfield. +And somehow he soon grew quite plump. + +Now, Grandfather Mole had met Mr. Meadow Mouse two or three times in +that particular gallery. And he was not slow to notice that his visitor +looked fatter each time he saw him. So one day Grandfather Mole asked +Mr. Meadow Mouse bluntly what he was doing there. + +"I'm taking a stroll!" Mr. Meadow Mouse told him meekly. + +"Be careful"--Grandfather Mole warned him--"be careful that you don't +take anything else!" + +Trembling slightly (for Grandfather Mole could be terribly severe when +he wanted to be) Mr. Meadow Mouse said that he hoped Grandfather Mole +didn't mind if a person took a little exercise now and then in those +underground halls. "On a warm summer's day it's delightfully cool down +here," Mr. Meadow Mouse murmured. + +His speech pleased Grandfather Mole. + +"I'm glad there's some one that agrees with me!" he exclaimed. "Most +people think I'm queer because I like to live underground." + +Mr. Meadow Mouse hastened to assure him that _he_ didn't think him +queer--not in the least! + +"Thank you! Thank you!" Grandfather Mole said. "And since you're a +person of more sense than I had supposed you're welcome to ramble +through my halls--so long as you don't take anything except exercise and +a stroll." + +Then it was Mr. Meadow Mouse's turn to thank Grandfather Mole. + +"I feel better," he said, "now that you've given me permission to come +here. For to tell the truth, I've often felt that I was taking a +chance." + +So matters went on smoothly for a time. And Mr. Meadow Mouse spent hours +in the gallery under the cornfield. And he grew fatter every day. +Naturally he did not take such pains to dodge Grandfather Mole--after +the talk they had had. And when the two met one evening Grandfather Mole +stopped Mr. Meadow Mouse. + +"There's something I want to say to you," he remarked. "I notice you're +looking extremely well-fed. And I hope you're not eating any of my +angleworms." + +Mr. Meadow Mouse laughed right in Grandfather Mole's face. + +"Oh, no!" he replied. + +"Nor any of my grubs or bugs?" Grandfather Mole persisted. + +"Certainly not!" said Mr. Meadow Mouse, making a wry face as he +spoke--for he was rather a dainty person. And then he whispered +something to Grandfather Mole. + +"Oh!" said Grandfather Mole. "So that's it, eh? Well, I don't mind. I +never eat anything of that sort. Take all you want of it!" + + + + +XVII + +MR. CROW SCOLDS + + +OLD Mr. Crow was angry with Grandfather Mole. + +Now, there was nothing strange about that, because Mr. Crow was always +losing his temper. And his neighbors had long since learned not to pay +much heed to his scolding. They knew that loud talk never really hurt +any one. And generally Mr. Crow forgot a grievance quickly, because he +was sure to get angry with somebody else. + +There was one matter upon which Mr. Crow was especially touchy. That was +corn. If anybody talked about corn-robbers, or even said much about +corn as a food, Mr. Crow always lost his temper. And if anybody showed +much liking for corn, or meddled in the cornfield, then old Mr. Crow +would get so angry that he couldn't speak a pleasant word for days and +days. + +And now he was enraged because he had reason to believe that Grandfather +Mole was eating the corn that Farmer Green had planted. + +"He's eating it out of the hills," Mr. Crow told his neighbors. + +"Farmer Green sometimes places scarecrows in the cornfield," Jimmy +Rabbit remarked. "So why wouldn't it be a good idea to get him to set up +a few scaremoles?" + +"That wouldn't help any," Mr. Crow said gloomily. Usually the merest +mention of a scarecrow sent him into a rage. But now he was too angry +with Grandfather Mole to pick a quarrel with any one else. "Grandfather +Mole couldn't see a scaremole if he ran head first into it," Mr. Crow +continued. "And besides, even if he had eyes to see with, he's working +underground. Grandfather Mole has dug galleries that run under the +cornfield. And he can get right inside a hill of corn and gobble the +seed corn without being seen." + +"Then how do you know what Grandfather Mole is doing, when you can't see +him?" Jimmy Rabbit inquired. + +"The corn isn't coming up as it should," Mr. Crow told him. "So I +scratched open a hill myself, to find out what was the matter." + +"You didn't find Grandfather Mole, did you?" Jimmy Rabbit cried. + +"No!" said Mr. Crow. "And I found no corn, either. But there was one of +Grandfather Mole's galleries leading up to the center of the hill. So +it's easy to guess where the corn goes." + +Since news always travels fast in Pleasant Valley and tales such as Mr. +Crow told spread more rapidly than any other, it wasn't long before Mrs. +Robin repeated Mr. Crow's remarks in Grandfather Mole's hearing. + +"What's that?" he called. "Please say that again!" + +"Old Mr. Crow claims that you are eating Farmer Green's seed corn out of +the hills," Mrs. Robin said. And she had the grace to grow somewhat red +in the face, because it was hardly the sort of thing to say to an old +gentleman like Grandfather Mole. + +For a few moments Grandfather Mole was silent. He couldn't say a word +for himself. And Mrs. Robin whispered to some of her friends that it +certainly looked as if Grandfather Mole was guilty. + +At last he managed to speak. But it was a most peculiar question that he +asked; so far as Mrs. Robin could see, it had absolutely nothing to do +with the case: + +"If you happen to see Mr. Meadow Mouse, will you tell him that I'd like +to have a talk with him?" + + + + +XVIII + +A TALK WITH MR. MEADOW MOUSE + + +THE next time she saw Mr. Meadow Mouse Mrs. Robin gave him Grandfather +Mole's message. "He says," said she, "he'd like to have a talk with +you." + +"Does he?" Mr. Meadow Mouse exclaimed. "Now I wonder what he has to say! +I returned his umbrella to him, after the rain. So it can't be about +that." + +"If I wanted to know, I'd go and find Grandfather Mole," Mrs. Robin +suggested tartly. + +Being a mild sort of person, Mr. Meadow Mouse thanked Mrs. Robin +politely, both for the message and for the advice. And then, scampering +to a certain spot that he knew, near the fence, he disappeared through +an opening into the ground. It was one of Grandfather Mole's doorways. +Mr. Meadow Mouse did not hesitate to use it, being one of those +fortunate folk that are quite at home anywhere. It made little +difference to him whether he was above the ground or in it. And aside +from Grandfather Mole and his own family there was no one that knew his +way about Grandfather Mole's galleries as well as Mr. Meadow Mouse. + +To be sure, he had some trouble in finding the old gentleman, there were +so many different passages in which to look for him. But at last Mr. +Meadow Mouse met Grandfather Mole in a long tunnel that followed a row +of newly planted corn. + +"Ah, ha!" Grandfather Mole cried. "There's something I want to say to +you." + +"So I hear!" Mr. Meadow Mouse replied a bit anxiously, for Grandfather +Mole sounded none too pleasant. + +"You've been getting me into trouble with old Mr. Crow," Grandfather +Mole complained. "He thinks I've been eating the seed corn that Farmer +Green planted. And if I told him that it was you that's done it, and +that you've been using my galleries to reach the hills of corn, Mr. Crow +would never believe what I said." + +"It looks bad for you, doesn't it?" said Mr. Meadow Mouse more +cheerfully. + +Somehow his remark displeased Grandfather Mole. + +"You'd better be careful what you say!" he warned Mr. Meadow Mouse. "If +you make me angry it will go hard with you." + +Now, Grandfather Mole was known to be a terrible fighter when aroused. +And Mr. Meadow Mouse had no liking for a fight with any one. So he +moved backward a few steps and made ready to run. + +"I'm sorry if I have caused you trouble," he said. "Couldn't you explain +to Mr. Crow that you have tunnelled into the hills of corn in order to +catch the grubs that would eat the corn if you didn't eat them first? +Can't you tell him that you are helping the corn crop, instead of +ruining it?" + +Grandfather Mole shook his head. + +"You're not much acquainted with Mr. Crow," he replied. "If he has made +up his mind that I'm stealing corn nothing I could say would change his +opinion." + +"Can't I help you in some way?" Mr. Meadow Mouse asked. "I'd do almost +anything, because you've let me use your galleries." + +Grandfather Mole pondered for a time. + +"Perhaps there is a way you can help," he said at last. "If you'll +manage somehow to let Mr. Crow catch you in one of these hills, with +your mouth full of corn, he'd know that you were the guilty party." + +Mr. Meadow Mouse paled at the thought of such a situation. And his legs +shook beneath him. "Oh! I--I couldn't do that!" he stammered. "Can't you +think of some other way?" + +"Yes, I can!" Grandfather replied. "I'll let him catch me in a hill of +corn." + +"With corn in your mouth?" Mr. Meadow Mouse inquired eagerly. + +"No!" said Grandfather Mole. "With _you_ in my mouth!" When he chose, +Grandfather Mole could be very spry. And as he said those words he made +a quick rush toward Mr. Meadow Mouse. + +Then there was a great scurrying down there in the dark. + + + + +XIX + +MR. CROW'S APOLOGY + + +IT was lucky for Mr. Meadow Mouse that he had placed a little distance +between himself and Grandfather Mole down in the gallery under the +cornfield. For when Grandfather Mole rushed at him, Mr. Meadow Mouse had +just enough lead to escape. He made for the open air as fast as he could +scramble, knowing that Grandfather Mole could never catch him once he +reached the great out-of-doors. + +Perhaps it was only natural that Grandfather Mole should have been +angry with Mr. Meadow Mouse. Nobody likes to be accused of +thieving--especially when he is innocent. And when the real +corn thief (Mr. Meadow Mouse) declined to take the blame off +Grandfather Mole's shoulders maybe his anger was not altogether +uncalled-for. + +After all, Grandfather Mole was glad, in a way, that Mr. Meadow Mouse +had got away from him. "It proves"--Grandfather Mole told himself--"it +proves that Mr. Meadow Mouse is not only a thief: he's a coward as +well." + +At the same time, any one that really knew old Mr. Crow couldn't have +blamed Mr. Meadow Mouse for not wanting to follow Grandfather's +suggestion. Grandfather Mole had asked Mr. Meadow Mouse to allow Mr. +Crow to catch him with his mouth full of corn, so that Mr. Crow might +know that it wasn't Grandfather Mole that was taking the seed corn, as +Mr. Crow supposed. + +Mr. Meadow Mouse was too well acquainted with old Mr. Crow to get +himself into any such fix as that. + +When he found himself above ground, after Grandfather Mole had chased +him out of his galleries, Mr. Meadow Mouse felt so pleased with himself +that he couldn't help telling his neighbors about his adventure. He +boasted that he had been eating the seed corn out of the hills. And he +declared that he didn't care if Mr. Crow heard of it himself. + +"It's no more his corn than mine," Mr. Meadow Mouse said. "It belongs to +Farmer Green. And since he has never spoken to me about missing any, I +don't believe he cares. Besides, I've often noticed that he drops more +kernels in a hill than he expects will grow. And really I've been saving +him the trouble of pulling up a good many young stalks." + +All this Mr. Meadow Mouse spread far and wide. And soon it reached the +ears of old Mr. Crow. + +"Ha!" Mr. Crow exclaimed. "So he's the thief! I'll have to teach him a +lesson." + +It was Jasper Jay that had related the news to his cousin, old Mr. Crow. +And now he asked, "What about Grandfather Mole? Don't you think you +ought to apologize to him?" + +That was a strange thing for Jasper Jay to ask. He was the greatest +rowdy in the woods, with shocking manners. + +Mr. Crow gave Jasper a sidewise glance. + +"Will you apologize for me?" he inquired. "I'm too busy to do it +myself." + +"Certainly I will!" Jasper Jay cried. "Leave that to me!" And he hurried +off at once to find Grandfather Mole. + +Jasper was lucky enough to see Grandfather Mole's head sticking out of +the ground, when he reached the garden. + +"I have a message for you!" Jasper told him. "My cousin Mr. Crow--the +old black rascal!--was going to punish you for stealing corn. But he has +made other arrangements." + +"Mr. Crow"--Grandfather Mole spluttered--"Mr. Crow owes me an apology." + +"Not now, he doesn't!" Jasper disputed. + +"Why not?" Grandfather Mole cried. + +"Because I've just brought his apology and given it to you," Jasper Jay +replied. + +But Grandfather Mole told him to be gone, and to take the apology away +with him. + +"It's nothing but an insult!" Grandfather Mole declared. + + + + +XX + +A SIGN OF RAIN + + +OVER near the garden fence lay an old hollow log. Grandfather Mole +discovered it one day; and thinking that it would be a fine place to +look for grubs and other good things, he crept into one end of it. + +If he had been able to see, near the other end of the log, a pair of +bright eyes that peered at him out of the darkness perhaps he would have +backed out in a hurry. But it was all right. The owner of the two eyes +was only Sandy Chipmunk. And he spoke pleasantly to Grandfather Mole, in +a soft sort of chatter, because he didn't want to alarm him. + +"Good afternoon!" said Grandfather Mole. At Sandy's first word he had +jumped. But as soon as he knew who was in the log with him he felt safe +enough. "What are you doing here, young man?" Grandfather inquired. + +"I came in to get out of the rain," Sandy told him. + +"Rain!" Grandfather Mole exclaimed. "It's not raining!" + +"I know that. But it's going to," Sandy Chipmunk replied. + +"There's not the least sign of rain," Grandfather Mole declared. Being +older than Sandy, he didn't hesitate to dispute what Sandy said. And he +never troubled himself to apologize, either. Sandy Chipmunk noticed +that, for he had been carefully reared by his mother. But he knew that +Grandfather Mole was considered an odd old gentleman. And besides, what +could Sandy have said that wouldn't have sounded rude? + +"There's not a sign of rain," Grandfather Mole repeated, "so far as I +can see." + +"How far can you see?" Sandy inquired politely. + +"Tut, tut!" said Grandfather Mole. "What I mean is that I haven't +_noticed_ anything that foretells rain. For instance, I haven't had a +twinge of rheumatism since I don't know when." + +"Well, I'm glad of that, anyhow," Sandy assured him. "But I saw a sign +of rain to-day that perhaps you never noticed." + +"What was that?" + +"Farmer Green's cat was washing her face on the doorsteps," Sandy +explained triumphantly. "It's a sure sign of rain. My mother has never +known it to fail." + +"Farmer Green's cat!" Grandfather Mole repeated after him. And he +shuddered as he spoke. "Don't you know that she's not a trustworthy +person? You surely don't depend on her, I hope! She's not dependable." + +"Well, you can always depend on her to jump at you," Sandy observed. + +"She's a coward--that's what she is," Grandfather Mole scolded. "You +never heard of her chasing anybody that was bigger than herself, did +you? You never heard of her attacking Fatty Coon!" + +Sandy Chipmunk said that if the cat hunted coons, she kept it to +herself. + +"She's too wise to run any risk," said Grandfather Mole. "But if she's +washing her face just because she expects rain, then she's stupid. + +"If the cat wants to wash her face, why doesn't she stick her head out +in the rain?" Grandfather Mole demanded. And without waiting for his +young companion to answer, he went on to say that in his opinion anybody +that washed his face in anything but dirt was stupid beyond all hope. "I +claim," said Grandfather Mole, "that there's nothing quite like a dirt +bath." + +"There aren't many that would agree with you," Sandy Chipmunk told +him. + +"There's a lot of stupid people in this valley," Grandfather Mole +retorted. + +Sandy Chipmunk thought deeply for a few moments. + +"I know of one person who would say you were right," he remarked at +last. + +"Who's that?" Grandfather asked him. + +"The boy, Johnnie Green!" Sandy Chipmunk replied. "If you could _see_ +his face you'd know that he takes a dirt bath every day!" + + + + +XXI + +MRS. WREN TRIES TO HELP + + +"HAVE you found him yet?" Mrs. Rusty Wren asked Grandfather Mole one day +when the old gentleman had left his dark underground home to brave the +dangers of the garden. + +"Found whom?" Grandfather Mole inquired. + +"Why, your grandson! I saw him wandering about the garden a little while +ago. And I supposed of course that you had come up to find him." + +"Now, that's strange!" Grandfather Mole exclaimed. "I wasn't aware one +of them had strayed away from the house.... Which of my grandchildren +was it that you saw!" + +"I don't know them by name," Mrs. Wren replied. "But this was just a +tiny chap." + +"Then it must be my little grandson Moses!" Grandfather Mole cried. +"He's the smallest of the lot.... I must find him at once, before the +cat catches him." + +Mrs. Wren saw that Grandfather Mole was greatly disturbed. And though +she had enough to do--goodness knows!--to look after her own family, she +told Grandfather Mole that she would help him find his grandchild. + +"That's kind of you, I'm sure," Grandfather Mole remarked. "If I had +your bright eyes I wouldn't need anybody's help." + +"Oh, you're welcome!" Mrs. Wren assured him. "I shouldn't want a +youngster of mine walking about the garden alone. I'm glad to do what I +can. And meanwhile you had better stay close to that hole, for there's +no need of your running any risks. If I can't find young Moses Mole, +then nobody can." + +Grandfather Mole said she was very kind and that he would take her +advice. So he stationed himself beside the hole through which he had +lately appeared and waited there while Rusty Wren's wife looked for his +grandson. + +She was a quick, spry little body--was Mrs. Wren. It wasn't long before +she surprised the object of her search in the act of eating a fat grub +beside a pumpkin. + +"Here he is!" Mrs. Wren called to Grandfather Mole. "I've found him. Do +you want to come and get him, or shall I bring him to you?" + +[Illustration: Billy Woodchuck Calls on Grandfather Mole. (_Page 106_)] + +"You'd better bring him," Grandfather Mole answered. And anybody +could see that he was vastly relieved. + +A little later Mrs. Wren called to him again. + +"What shall I do?" she asked. "He won't mind me. And he's too heavy for +me to carry." + +"That's Moses, without a doubt!" Grandfather Mole declared. "Yes! +If he won't mind, it's certainly my grandson Moses. He's the +littlest of the family; and his mother has always spoiled him.... +I suppose"--Grandfather Mole added--"I suppose I'll have to go and +get him." + +"Wait a moment!" Mrs. Wren suddenly sang out. "There's some mistake. +This little fellow says his name isn't Moses!" + +Well, Grandfather Mole's mouth fell open, he was so surprised. "Then +what's his name?" he demanded. + +"He says it's Mr. Shrew. And he seems very angry over something or +other," Mrs. Wren explained. + +"Tell me"--Grandfather Mole besought her--"has he a neck?" + +Mrs. Wren glanced at the small person whose breakfast she had +interrupted. + +"Yes, he has one," she reported. + +"Then he's no relation of mine," Grandfather Mole said. "Or at least, +he's no more than a distant cousin. And I don't even know him." He was +relieved to learn that his grandson Moses Mole was not wandering about +the garden, after all. "Maybe you never stopped to think that none of +our family have necks--so far as you can notice." + +And now Mrs. Wren looked at Grandfather Mole. And she saw that his head +was set right on his shoulders. + +"I was mistaken," she faltered. "I'm sorry if I upset you about your +grandson." + +"It doesn't matter now," Grandfather Mole assured her. "To be sure, I +was alarmed. And when you said he wouldn't mind I was sure it was Moses. + +"Children," said Grandfather Mole, "are not brought up as strictly as +they were when I was young." + + + + +XXII + +TWO FAMOUS DIGGERS + + +BILLY WOODCHUCK had decided to move into new quarters before cold +weather set in. Old dog Spot had learned where he lived; and to Billy's +dismay Spot was spending altogether too much of his time watching +Billy's front door. + +There was only one reason why Billy Woodchuck didn't exactly care to dig +a new home for himself in the pasture just then. The fall crop of clover +was about to head out. And being very fond of clover blossoms, Billy +hated to spend his time digging. + +He was telling his troubles one day to old Mr. Crow. And as usual, Mr. +Crow had an idea. + +"Why don't you get somebody to help you?" he asked. + +Billy Woodchuck looked a bit doubtful. + +"Who is there?" he inquired. "Nobody would be willing to dig for me +unless I paid him." + +"Well--if I were you I'd offer a modest wage," Mr. Crow suggested. + +But Billy Woodchuck shook his head. + +"I couldn't pay anybody anything--unless it was clover-tops," he +explained. "And why should any one dig for them when there are thousands +to be had for the taking?" + +Mr. Crow agreed that Billy Woodchuck knew what he was talking about. + +"But," said Mr. Crow, "I've usually found that there's a way out of +every difficulty. What you must do is to find somebody that _likes_ to +dig--somebody that is so crazy to dig that he'd help you just for the +fun of the thing." + +Billy Woodchuck looked still more doubtful. + +"Who is there?" he asked once more. + +Meanwhile Mr. Crow had been thinking rapidly--for he was a quick-witted +old scamp. + +"I'll tell you!" he cried. "There's Grandfather Mole!" + +Although Billy Woodchuck brightened considerably--for Mr. Crow's ideas +made him more hopeful--he observed that he didn't know Grandfather Mole. +"I've heard of him, however," Billy told Mr. Crow. "He lives in Farmer +Green's garden. But you know I never go there. I stick to the fields. I +don't like to get too far from home." + +"For once, then," said old Mr. Crow, "I should break my rule--if I were +you--and visit the garden. Find Grandfather Mole and have a talk with +him!" + +So Billy Woodchuck decided that he would take Mr. Crow's advice. And +though he hated to leave the clover-patch he set out that very afternoon +to find Grandfather Mole and ask him if he wouldn't like to help dig a +winter home in the pasture. But before starting on his journey Billy +Woodchuck waited until Mr. Crow came back and told him that Grandfather +Mole had just appeared above ground. + +Billy Woodchuck hurried off across the pasture as fast as he could +scamper. And in a short time he reached Farmer Green's garden. He was +somewhat out of breath, because there had been plenty of good things to +eat all summer long and he was round as a ball of butter. + +Luckily he arrived just in time. Grandfather Mole had been on the point +of creeping down into one of his many underground halls when he heard a +strange voice say, "Stop a moment, please! I've something important to +say to you." + +It was a pleasant voice. If it hadn't been, Grandfather Mole wouldn't +have waited an instant. He turned his head toward the place where the +voice came from and said, "What is it, stranger? And talk fast, because +I'm busy. I have some digging to do down below." + + + + +XXIII + +SEEING A SAMPLE + + +GRANDFATHER MOLE'S remark made Billy Woodchuck smile. + +"I'm a very busy person. I've some digging to do down below," +Grandfather had said. + +"You're just the one I need to help me!" Billy Woodchuck exclaimed, for +he had heard somewhere that if you want a thing done, you should get a +busy person to do it. + +"I hope you don't want me to catch angleworms for you," Grandfather Mole +told him. "The neighbors are always asking me to do that. And I've +decided that I can't do it. Somehow I can't help eating 'em myself." + +Billy Woodchuck assured him that he had no use at all for angleworms. + +"What I want," he explained, "is a good digger to help dig a new house +for me." + +"Is anybody else going to help too?" Grandfather Mole inquired +carefully. + +"No--only myself!" Billy said. + +"Then I'm sorry; but I can't work for you," Grandfather Mole announced. +And he had already turned away, as if the business were ended, when +Billy Woodchuck stopped him again. + +"Perhaps"--said Billy--"perhaps I can find one or two others besides +myself." + +"You've missed my point," said Grandfather Mole. "I don't want anybody +else to help--not even you! For I won't share the fun of digging with +any one." + +Well, Billy Woodchuck could hardly believe his own ears. + +"You shall have things all your own way!" he cried. "I won't scratch a +speck of dirt, I promise you!" + +"That's different," Grandfather Mole remarked. "That's more like it. And +if you're a person that keeps his promises we shall not have a bit of +trouble." + +"You can depend on me," Billy Woodchuck told Grandfather Mole. "While +you're working for me I'll spend all my time in the clover-patch.... And +now," he added, "I'd like to see a sample of your digging." + +"Come right this way!" Grandfather Mole directed. And Billy Woodchuck +followed, and looked carefully at the small hole that Grandfather Mole +pointed to with an air of pride. "Here's one of my doorways," he +announced. + +With his head on one side, Billy Woodchuck inspected it. + +"It's well made," he said, "but of course it's entirely too small for my +house. If you work for me you'll have to dig bigger than that." + +That speech did not please Grandfather Mole. "Small doorways are the +only kind to have," he declared. "I wouldn't make a bigger one for +anybody--not even for Farmer Green himself." + +Billy Woodchuck soon saw that Grandfather Mole was a stubborn old +fellow. No matter what he said, he couldn't get Grandfather Mole to +change his opinion. And at last Billy Woodchuck gave up all hope of +having Grandfather Mole dig for him. + +"A door like yours would be of no use to me," he said dolefully. "I +never could squeeze through it." + +"My goodness!" Grandfather Mole cried. "How big are you, anyhow?" It +must be remembered that he couldn't see his caller. + +"I'm big enough," said Billy Woodchuck, "to put you in my pocket, +almost." + +Grandfather Mole turned pale at the mere thought of such a thing. + +"I--I'd no idea I was talking to a monster," he stammered. "I don't +believe I want to dig for you, after all." And saying a hasty good +afternoon, he popped through his doorway and vanished at Billy +Woodchuck's feet. + +Greatly disappointed, Billy Woodchuck turned homewards. "I'd have been +in a pretty fix if he had finished my house, and I had tried to move my +furniture into it," he muttered. "It's lucky I asked to see a sample of +Grandfather Mole's work," said Billy Woodchuck. + + + + +XXIV + +FOLLOWING THE PLOUGH + + +A GOOD many of Grandfather Mole's neighbors sneered at him, and said he +was queer. Mr. Blackbird was one of these scoffers. Though he was a lazy +scamp, he always managed to look sleek and well fed. And he liked the +same fare that Grandfather Mole did. + +"You're a goose to work so hard for your food," Mr. Blackbird jeered one +fine spring day as he sat on the garden fence and looked down at +Grandfather Mole. "You ought to change your habits. Just look at me! I +get plenty to eat. And I do precious little digging for it, believe me! +I tell you, there's a better way than yours!" + +Naturally, Grandfather Mole couldn't look at Mr. Blackbird. But he +raised his head in his odd fashion. + +"What's that?" he inquired. "What's a better way than mine?" + +But Mr. Blackbird was in no hurry to tell all he knew. + +"Suppose," he said, "I should explain my method to you. You could follow +it for some weeks and live well without much trouble. And then--when the +spring ploughing is finished--I should want you to supply me with +angleworms for the same length of time. You know, you can't expect me to +give away my secret for nothing." + +"But I _like_ to dig," Grandfather Mole replied. "You may have noticed +that I am built for that sort of work." + +What Grandfather Mole said was true. His drill-like nose, his powerful +fore-legs and big, strong feet all served to make him the fastest digger +in Pleasant Valley. + +Mr. Blackbird regarded him with a sly smile. "You seem to be built for +_eating_, too," he observed. + +Grandfather Mole soon confessed that Mr. Blackbird's mention of +angleworms had made him so hungry that he was ready to promise to do as +Mr. Blackbird had proposed. + +So Mr. Blackbird cried that it was a bargain. + +"And now," he said, "listen carefully while I whisper the secret, for I +don't want everybody to hear it.... I follow the plough," he explained. +"It turns up a great quantity of angleworms. The only work I have to do +is to pick 'em up with my bill." + +Somehow Grandfather Mole did not appear as delighted as Mr. Blackbird +had expected. + +"How can I follow the plough when I can't see where it's going?" he +asked. + +"Silly!" Mr. Blackbird jeered. "You can find your way along a furrow, +can't you?" + +Grandfather Mole thought he could do that. "But you're forgetting Henry +Hawk!" he reminded Mr. Blackbird. "Farmer Green ploughs in the daytime. +And Henry Hawk might see me." + +"He wouldn't be likely to notice you if you crept along the bottom of a +furrow," Mr. Blackbird assured Grandfather Mole. "Anyhow, I'll be there. +And I'll warn you if Henry Hawk appears in the sky." + +Grandfather Mole was relieved. And Mr. Blackbird told him to be ready +the next morning. + + + + +XXV + +STUBBORN AS EVER + + +FARMER GREEN hadn't finished ploughing his first furrow before Mr. +Blackbird and Grandfather Mole began breakfasting on the angleworms that +the plough turned up. + +Very soon Mr. Blackbird began to regret his bargain with Grandfather +Mole, for Grandfather was even a greater eater than Mr. Blackbird had +supposed. Mr. Blackbird began to be afraid that there wouldn't be worms +enough left for himself. + +"This is a fine place to dig," he remarked to Grandfather Mole in what +seemed a careless way. But he watched Grandfather Mole narrowly, with a +grin on his face, to see what the old chap would do. + +And after that Grandfather Mole couldn't resist burrowing in the loose +earth now and then. It pleased Mr. Blackbird to see him amuse himself in +that fashion, because while he was digging Grandfather Mole lost his +chance at a good many angleworms. They found their way quickly down Mr. +Blackbird's throat. And it was not long before he was in the best of +spirits. + +Day after day while the spring ploughing went on, the strange pair +followed the plough together. And since Grandfather Mole spent more than +half the time in digging, Mr. Blackbird felt that on the whole their +bargain had proved a good one. + +When Farmer Green had finished the last furrow in the field Mr. +Blackbird told Grandfather Mole that the ploughing had come to an end. + +"And now"--he said--"now it's your turn to carry out your part of the +bargain. I showed you where the food was plentiful; and it's time for +you to begin furnishing me twenty fat angleworms a day." + +Grandfather Mole was amazed. There hadn't been a word said about the +_number_ of angleworms he was to supply Mr. Blackbird. + +"Twenty!" he exclaimed. "Nobody said 'twenty!'" + +"That's so," said Mr. Blackbird. "It was forty." + +Grandfather Mole was staggered. But he didn't dare object again, for +fear Mr. Blackbird would double the number once more and make it eighty. + +"Agreed!" he cried. "And I'll have them ready for you at midnight +regularly." + +"Midnight!" Mr. Blackbird repeated after him, in great surprise. +"Nothing was said about 'midnight!'" + +"That's so!" Grandfather Mole admitted. "It was one o'clock in the +morning." And in spite of everything Mr. Blackbird said, Grandfather +Mole wouldn't change the time. Everybody knew that he was very stubborn. + +"A hundred angleworms in the middle of the night wouldn't do me any +good," Mr. Blackbird complained. "I'm always asleep at that time." + +"You'd better change your habits," Grandfather Mole replied. "You ought +to be glad to change your hours for sleep, if it would make things +easier for you." + +Now that was very like the sort of remark that Mr. Blackbird himself +had once made to Grandfather Mole. But coming from Grandfather Mole the +suggestion did not please him. He even lost his temper. And he told +Grandfather Mole that he was the queerest person in all Pleasant Valley. + +But that speech did not trouble Grandfather Mole. + +"It's everybody else that's queer--and not I!" he declared. + + +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 American +woods and fields in an amusing way, which delights small two-footed +human 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 and +girls 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. + + +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 + + * * * * * + + + +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 the +four-footed creatures of our American woods and fields in an amusing +way which delights small two-footed human beings; and at the same time, +in the shortcomings of Cuffy Bear and his neighbors, children are quick +to recognize 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 +as unusual as they are delightful, since this is almost the first +time these feathered friends of the kiddies have appeared in print. +These bird stories, like the Sleepy-Time animal stories, are based +upon actual natural 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, +which tell of the daily doings of Muley Cow, Old Dog Spot, and their +companions. These tales will show them that they have much in common +with Henrietta Hen and the others, and will develop in them a wholesome +respect for those good friends. + +Grosset & Dunlap, New York + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF GRANDFATHER MOLE*** + + +******* This file should be named 21203.txt or 21203.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/2/0/21203 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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