aid:

"The best time to plant corn is as early as possible."

A good many of those present exclaimed at once that that was a good
answer. And a few clapped their hands.

"What's your opinion?" Jasper Jay then asked, turning to Daddy Longlegs.

Daddy Longlegs took off his hat, mopped his narrow forehead with his red
bandanna, and then slowly nodded his head three times.

"My answer is exactly the same as Mr. Crow's," he piped in his queer,
thin, high voice.

At that a look of displeasure passed quickly over the faces of the two
cousins. And when little Mr. Chippy called on Jasper Jay to decide
which was the better answer, Jasper looked really worried.

"It's a tie this time," he said somewhat sourly. And while everybody was
shouting, he and Mr. Crow withdrew to one side and whispered, which some
considered to be rather bad manners.

Soon Jasper and Mr. Crow returned to the eager throng. And Jasper now
looked as brazen as ever.

"I'll put the next question," he announced. "And Daddy Longlegs may
answer first.... How many kernels of corn make a meal!"

There wasn't a sound--except for Buster Bumblebee's buzzing--as Daddy
Longlegs moved forward a few steps and held his hand behind his ear.

"Speak louder!" somebody said to Jasper. "You know he's hard of
hearing."

So Jasper Jay repeated the question. But Daddy Longlegs only looked at
him blankly.

It was quite clear that he couldn't understand a single word that Jasper
said.

IV

TOO MANY QUESTIONS

"THIS is strange!" old Mr. Crow exclaimed, looking very hard at Daddy
Longlegs. "You heard the first question easily enough. But now you seem
deaf as a post."

And all the time Daddy Longlegs merely smiled at Mr. Crow. He made no
comment at all.

"Don't you know what I'm saying?" Mr. Crow bawled in his loudest tones.

"It _is_ a pleasant day," said Daddy Longlegs. "But I'm afraid there's
going to be a heavy gale to-morrow."

"This is certainly peculiar," Mr. Crow grumbled. And then little Mr.
Chippy hastened to explain that Daddy Longlegs was often like that. He
would appear to hear you perfectly one moment. And then--if you happened
to ask him his age, or where he came from--you might find him unable to
understand a single word that you said.

"It's most unfortunate," said old Mr. Crow. "I see nothing to do but
reply to the question myself. And then my cousin, Jasper Jay, will
decide which has given the better answer--Daddy Longlegs or I."