und the tiniest bit of sweet
milky corn. Jimmy Skunk hadn't seen a single beetle. Reddy Fox hadn't
heard so much as the peep of a chicken. And all were as hungry as hungry
could be.

Half way up the Lone Little Path they met Old Mother West Wind going to
her home behind the hill. "Did you find the Best Thing in the World?"
asked Old Mother West Wind.

"NO!" shouted Striped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit and Bobby Coon and Jimmy
Skunk and Reddy Fox all together.

"Johnny Chuck has it," said Old Mother West Wind. "It is being happy
with the things you have and not wanting things which some one else has.
And it is called Con-tent-ment."

CHAPTER XIV LITTLE JOE OTTER'S SLIPPERY SLIDE

Little Joe Otter and Billy Mink had been playing together around the
Smiling Pool all one sunshiny morning. They had been fishing and had
taken home a fine dinner of Trout for old Grandfather Mink and blind old
Granny Otter. They had played tag with the Merry Little Breezes. They
had been in all kinds of mischief and now they just didn't know what to
do.

They were sitting side by side on the Big Rock trying to push each other
off into the Smiling Pool. Round, smiling red Mr. Sun made the Green
Meadows very warm indeed, and Reddy Fox, over in the tall grass, heard
them splashing and shouting and having such a good time that he wished
he liked the nice cool water and could swim, too.

"I've thought of something!" cried Little Joe Otter.

"What is it?" asked Billy Mink.

Little Joe Otter just looked wise and said nothing.

"Something to eat?" asked Billy Mink.

"No," said Little Joe Otter.

"I don't believe you've a thought of anything at all," said Billy Mink.

"I have too!" said Little Joe Otter. "It's something to do."

"What?" demanded Billy Mink.

Just then Little Joe Otter spied Jerry Muskrat. "Hi, Jerry Muskrat! Come
over here!" he called.

Jerry Muskrat swam across to the Big Rock and climbed up beside Billy
Mink and Little Joe Otter.

"What are you fellows doing?" asked Jerry Muskrat.

"Having some fun," said Billy Mink. "Little Joe Otter has thought of
something to do, but I don't know what it is."

"Let's make a slide," cried Little Joe Otter.

"You show us how," said Billy Mink.

So Little Joe Otter found a nice smooth place on the bank, and Billy
Mink and Jerry Muskrat brought mud and helped him pat it down smooth
until they had the loveliest slippery slide in the world. Then Little
Joe Otter climbed up th