re he dared begin his long homeward journey, but he had no one
with whom he could talk. And it had always been Daddy's custom to spend
gusty days as agreeably as possible by gossiping with his neighbors.

Besides, there was the party on the bank of Black Creek! Daddy Longlegs
knew right away that it was useless for him to try to attend it. And so
it was no wonder that he felt unhappy.

XII

GOOD NEWS ON A BAD DAY

FOR a long time Daddy Longlegs lay inside the hollow, fallen tree and
looked out upon the wind-swept fields. If the stone wall hadn't been so
far away he would certainly have tried to return home. But the weather
was altogether too dangerous. He knew it would be risky to attempt so
long a journey.

As he sat looking out of the chink in the old tree, through which he had
crept inside it, Daddy suddenly saw a reddish, brownish flash flicker
past the opening.

"Goodness!" he exclaimed. "I wonder what that was!" And in another
moment the same bright patch of color again whisked across the hole.

Then Daddy Longlegs heard a sound as of some one scratching upon the
tree-trunk. And being of a very curious nature, he crawled half through
the hole and peered out to see what was happening. Daddy Longlegs was
all ready for a fright. He was so upset, on account of being caught away
from home on a windy day, that he was unusually jumpy and fidgety.
But--as it often happens at such times--he met with a pleasant surprise.
For there sat Sandy Chipmunk, with his long tail curled over his back,
and something very like a smile on his bright face.

Knowing that Sandy Chipmunk never harmed anybody that minded his own
affairs, Daddy Longlegs spoke to him at once.

"It's a bad day, isn't it?" he called.

Hearing that tiny voice, which seemed to come from inside the fallen
tree, Sandy Chipmunk was so startled that he leaped high into the air;
and when he came down again upon all fours he found himself staring
straight into Daddy Longlegs' beady eyes.

"Oh! It's you, eh?" cried Sandy Chipmunk. And he looked decidedly
foolish, because he knew that he had no reason to fear anybody as mild
as Daddy Longlegs.

"It's a bad day, isn't it!" said Daddy Longlegs once more.

"I'm sorry I can't agree with you," Sandy replied. "I think it's the
finest weather that ever was."

"You don't mean to say you like this wind?" Daddy Longlegs cried. "Why,
I don't see how you dare to be out in it!"

"Oh, it's nothing when you're