a minute."

And it was. He stuck his needle into Mr. Crow, to let him know it was
done.

Mr. Crow jumped half way across the room. "Why did you do that?" he asked
hotly.

"I wanted to break my thread," Mr. Frog explained pleasantly. "It's the
quickest way of breaking a thread that I know of."

"You look out, or I'll break something else for you," Mr. Crow squawked,
for he was thoroughly enraged. "And now," he added, "I'll pay you what I
owe before leaving. I owe thirteen of something."

Then Mr. Frog surprised him.

"I've decided not to take any pay," he announced. "I hear that thirteen
is an unlucky number."

"Is that so?" Mr. Frog exclaimed. "Perhaps it is. If you had stuck your
needle into me thirteen times it certainly would have been unlucky for
you."

On the whole Mr. Crow was well pleased with his bargain. He was glad
that he had asked Mr. Frog to make a coat for him. Indeed, if only the
tailor had not stabbed him with his needle, he would have returned to the
shop at once and ordered Mr. Frog to make him a pair of trousers--with
thirteen spots on them.

XVI

A TIGHT FIT

Now, a certain thing happened that made Mr. Crow change his mind about
staying North for the winter. It had something to do with nuts, and
Frisky Squirrel, and Sandy Chipmunk. But that is another story; and
you may already have heard it.

Anyhow, Mr. Crow suddenly decided that he would have to fly southward,
after all. He was disappointed, because he didn't like the thought of
having to make so long a journey. Moreover, he had his new blue coat with
the yellow spots, which Mr. Frog had made for him. It was a handsome
coat. And everybody said it was very becoming to Mr. Crow. But he knew it
was altogether too warm to wear to his home in the South where the
weather was sure to be mild.

"I'll have to leave my new coat behind," he said to himself in a sad
voice. "It's almost too heavy to wear even here, though it is fall. I
hate to do it; but I'd better take it off and hide it somewhere. There
might be some cold days next spring when I'd be glad of a thick, warm
coat."

So the old gentleman started to unbutton his new coat, which he had worn
all day, ever since Mr. Frog had slipped it on him early in the morning.
Anyone might think that it would have been an easy matter to unbutton the
coat, for Mr. Frog had sewed a double row of big brown buttons down the
front of it. But for some time Mr. Crow fumbled with one of them