lly was very dreadful the way
those two did talk.

But Unc' Billy Possum is really very good-natured, and when he had
gotten over the fright Happy Jack had given him and began to
understand that he was in one of Happy Jack's storehouses, all his
temper vanished, and presently he began to grin and then to laugh. Now
it always takes two to make a quarrel, and one of the hardest things
in the world is to keep cross when the one you are cross with won't
keep cross, too. Happy Jack tried hard to stay angry, but every time
he looked at Unc' Billy Possum's twinkling eyes and broad grin, Happy
Jack lost a little of his own temper. Pretty soon he was laughing just
as hard as Unc' Billy Possum.

"Ho, ho, ho! Ha, ha, ha!" they laughed together. Finally they had to
stop for breath.

"What are you doing in my storehouse, Unc' Billy?" asked Happy Jack,
when he could stop laughing.

Then Unc' Billy told him all about how he had climbed there from
another tree, so as to leave no tracks in the snow for Farmer Brown's
boy to follow.

"But now Ah want to go to mah own home in the big hollow tree way down
in the Green Forest, but Ah can't, on account of mah tracks in the
snow," concluded Unc' Billy mournfully.

Happy Jack put his head on one side and thought very hard. "Why don't
you stay right here until the snow goes, Unc' Billy?" he asked.

"Because Ah 'spects that mah ol' woman am worried most to death," said
Unc' Billy, in a mournful voice. "Besides," he added, "Ah just done
found out that this right nice lil' house belongs to one of mah
neighbors." There was a twinkle in Unc' Billy's eyes.

Happy Jack laughed. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like, Unc'
Billy," he said. "You better stay right where you are, and I'll go
tell old Mrs. Possum where you are."

"Thank yo'! Thank yo'! That is very kind of yo', Brer Squirrel. That
will be a great help, fo' it will lift a great load off mah mind,"
said Unc' Billy.

"Don't mention it, Unc' Billy!" replied Happy Jack and started off
with the message to old Mrs. Possum, and as he scampered through the
snow he said:

"To get yourself in trouble is a very easy thing.
I notice that to others it will always worries bring.
But getting out of trouble's always quite the other way--
The more you try to wriggle out, the longer you must stay."

XXV

HAPPY JACK SQUIRREL'S BRIGHT IDEA

Happy Jack Squirrel frisked along through the snow on his way to Unc'
Bi