ttle red box to see what was in it. The spider's eye,
being small, rolled out into the moss and was lost. The fox thought he
would put the bushy tail on himself and see if it would not add to his
beauty, and while he did this the song escaped from the box and was
blown by the wind directly to the spot where Timtom was sitting beside
the gulf.

He happened to hear the song coming, so he took off his hat and caught
it, after which he called to the bird that he had found the song again.

"Then I shall keep my promise," said the bird. "First, however, let me
try the song and see if it is suited to my voice."

So he tried the song and liked it fairly well.

"It sounds something like a comic opera," said the bird, "but, after
all, it will serve my purpose very nicely."

A minute later Timtom rejoiced to find himself on the other side of the
gulf, and so much nearer home. But when he came to the River of Needles
there was more trouble in store for him, for the spider became so angry
at the loss of its eye that it tore down the spider-web bridge, and
refused to build another.

This was indeed discouraging to the traveler, and he sat down beside
the river and looked longingly at the farther shore. The spider paid no
attention to him, but curled up and went to sleep, and the needles
looked at him curiously out of their small eyes as they flowed by in an
endless stream.

After a time a wren came flying along, and when it noticed the look of
despair on Timtom's face the little creature perched on his shoulder
and asked:

"What is your trouble, young man?"

Timtom related his adventures to the sympathetic wren, and when he came
to the loss of the spider's eye and the refusal of the spiteful
creature to allow him to cross the bridge, the wren exclaimed, with
every appearance of surprise:

"A spider's eye, did you say? Why, I believe that is what I have here
in my claw!"

"Where?" cried Timtom, eagerly.

The wren hopped into his lap, and carefully opening one of its tiny
claws disclosed the identical spider's eye which Maetta had given him.

"That is wonderful!" exclaimed Timtom, in amazement. "But where did you
get it?"

"I found it in the wood, hidden in the moss near the den of the Sly
Fox. It is so bright and sparkling I thought I would take it home for
my children to play with. But now, as you seem to want it so badly, I
shall have much pleasure in restoring it to you."

Timtom thanked the little wren most gra