"And they, I suppose, are pony chestnut
trees," said Uncle Wiggily.

"That's what we are!" cried the little trees,
"and we are very thirsty."

"Indeed they are," said the mother tree. "You
see we are not like you animals. We cannot
walk to a spring or well to get a drink when
we are thirsty. We have to stay, rooted in one
place, and wait for the rain, or until some one waters us."

"Well, some one is going to water you right
away!" cried Uncle Wiggily in his jolly voice.
"I'll bring you some water from the duck pond,
which is near by."

Then, borrowing a pail from Mrs. Wibblewobble,
the duck lady, Uncle Wiggily poured
water all around the dry earth, in which grew
the horse chestnut tree and the little pony trees.

"Oh! How fine that is!" cried the thirsty
trees. "It is almost as nice as rain. You are
very good, Uncle Wiggily," said the mother
tree, "and if ever we can do you a favor we will."

"Thank you," spoke Uncle Wiggily, making
a low bow with his tall silk hat. Then he went
on to Grandpa Goosey's where he visited with
his epizootic friend and played checkers.

On his way home through the woods, Uncle
Wiggily was unpleasantly surprised when, all
of a sudden out from behind a stone jumped
a bad bear. He wasn't at all a good, nice bear
like Beckie or Neddie Stubtail.

"Bur-r-r-r-r!" growled the bear at Uncle
Wiggily. "I guess I'll scratch you."

"Oh, please don't," begged the bunny uncle.

"Yes, I shall!" grumbled the bear. "And I'll
hug you, too!"

"Oh, no! I'd rather you wouldn't!" said the
bunny uncle. For well he knew that a bear
doesn't hug for love. It's more of a hard,
rib-cracking squeeze than a hug. If ever a bear
wants to hug you, just don't you let him. Of
course if daddy or mother wants to hug, why,
that's all right.

"Yes, I'm going to scratch you and hug you,"
went on the bad bear, "and after that--well,
after that I guess I'll take you off to my den."

"Oh, please don't!" begged Uncle Wiggily,
twinkling his nose and thinking that he might
make the bear laugh. For if ever you can get
a bear to laugh he won't hurt you a bit. Just
remember that. Tickle him, or do anything to
get him to laugh. But this bear wouldn't even
smile. He just growled again and said:

"Well, here I come, Uncle Wiggily, to hug you!"

"Oh, no you don't!" all of a sudden cried a
voice in the air.

"Ha! Who says I don't?" grumbled the bear, impolite like.

"I do," went on the