by footstool. And, indeed, the little girl had to sit on
something quite small, for her legs were very short.

"And here are your curds and whey," went on Nurse Jane, bringing in
a bowl. Curds and whey are very good to eat. They are made from
milk, sweetened, and are something like a custard in a cup.

So little Miss Muffet, sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey,
just as she ought to have done.

"And," said Nurse Jane to herself, "I do hope no spider will come
sit beside her to frighten Miss Muffet away, before Uncle Wiggily
sees her, for she is a dear little child."

Pretty soon some one was heard hopping up the front steps of the
bungalow, and Nurse Jane said:

"There is Uncle Wiggily now, I think."

"Oh, I'm glad!" exclaimed little Miss Muffet, as she handed the
muskrat lady the empty bowl of curds and whey. "I want to see him
very specially."

In came hopping the nice old rabbit gentleman, and he knew Little
Miss Muffet right away, and was very glad to see her.

"Oh, Uncle Wiggily!" cried the little girl. "I have been waiting to
see you. I want you to do me a very special extra favor; will you?"

"Why, of course, if I can," answered the bunny uncle, with a polite
bow. "I am always glad to do favors."

"You can easily do this one," said Little Miss Muffet. "I want you
to come----"

And just then Uncle Wiggily saw a big spider crawling over the floor
toward the little girl, who was still on her tuffet, having finished
her curds and whey.

"And if she sees that spider, sit down beside her, it surely will
frighten her away," thought Uncle Wiggily, "and I will not be able
to find out what she wants me to do for her. Let me see, she hasn't
yet noticed the spider. I wonder if I could get her out of the room
while I asked the spider to kindly not to do any frightening, at
least for a while?"

So Uncle Wiggily, who was quite worried, sort of waved his paw
sideways at the spider, and twinkled his pink nose and said "Ahem!"
which meant that the spider was to keep on crawling, and not go near
Miss Muffet. Uncle Wiggily himself was not afraid of spiders.

"Yes, Uncle Wiggily," went on little Miss Muffet, who had not yet
seen the spider. "I want you to come to----" and then she saw the
rabbit gentleman making funny noses behind her back, and waving his
paw at something, and Miss Muffet cried:

"Why, what in the world is the matter, Uncle Wiggily? Have you hurt
yourself?"

"No, no," the rabbit gentleman