his payment out of the meal. Well, I told them they'd
have to pay toll. They agreed to that, and then asked what else they'd
have to do, but I said we'd attend to one thing at a time. First let
the toll be paid.

"They went off, and in due time they came back. Some brought corn and
some brought meal; some brought wheat and some brought flour; some
brought milk and some brought butter; some brought honey in the clean,
and some brought honey in the comb; some brought one thing and some
brought another, but they all brought something.

"Then they gathered around and asked what else they had to do. 'Well,'
says I, 'you certainly act as if you wanted rain--all of you--there's
no disputing that. You have paid the toll according to agreement. You
have surely earned the rain, and now there's nothing for me to do but
to find out how much rain you want.'

"With that they all began to talk at once, especially Brother Bear,
who lived in the upland district, where the drouth had been the worst,
but I put an end to that at once.

"'Hold on there!' says I, 'just wait! Don't get into any dispute
around here. You are on my grounds and at my house. Let's have no
squabbling. I'm not feeling so mighty well, anyhow, and the least fuss
will be enough to upset me. But the world is wide. Just go on yonder
hill and fix up the whole matter to suit yourselves. Just come to some
agreement as to how much rain you want, and as soon as you agree send
me word, and then go home and hoist your parasols, for there'll surely
be a sprinkle.'

"Well," Mr. Rabbit continued, "this was such a sensible plan that they
couldn't help but agree to it, and presently they all went to the hill
and began to talk the matter over, while I went into the house.

"This was in the morning. Well, dinner-time came, but still no word
had come from the convention on the hill. I went out into the porch,
flung my red handkerchief over my face to keep the flies off, and took
my afternoon nap, but still no word came from the hill. Then I fell
to laughing, and laughed until I nearly choked myself."

"But what were you laughing at?" Buster John inquired, with a serious
air.

Mr. Rabbit paused, looked at the youngster solemnly, and said, "Well,
I'll tell you. I didn't laugh because anybody had hurt my feelings. I
just laughed at circumstances. I sat and waited until the afternoon
was half gone, and then slipped up the hill to see what was to be seen
and hear what was to be he