time to gather
their fears together.

"Shuh!" she exclaimed; "'t ain't nothin' 't all. When dey tuck de jug
outin' de spring de water 'bleedge to be shuck up."

And it was true. The rippling and wavering in the sky of Mr.
Thimblefinger's queer country were caused by lifting the
buttermilk-jug from the spring. As soon as the commotion ceased, it
was seen that across the sky, from horizon to horizon, dark lines and
shadows extended. They were irregular, and branched out here and there
in every direction. Drusilla gazed at them for some moments without
venturing to explain them. Suddenly a shadow that seemed to have life
and motion made its appearance, and darted about among the dark lines.
Drusilla laughed.

"La! Hit's dat dead lim' ober de spring, an' dere's a jay-bird hoppin'
about in it right now. Ain't I done heah yo' pa say dat lim' 'll
hafter be cut off 'fo' it fall an' break somebody's head?"

"Well, well! She ain't so bad off up here as I thought she was," said
Mr. Thimblefinger, tapping his forehead significantly.

"Ain't I done tell you dat dey's mo' in my head dan what you kin comb
out?" exclaimed Drusilla indignantly.

"Speaking of combing and things of that sort," remarked Mr. Rabbit,
turning to Mrs. Meadows, "did I ever tell you how Brother Bear learned
to comb his hair?"

Mrs. Meadows reflected a moment, or pretended to reflect. "Now, I'm
not right certain about that. Maybe you have and maybe you haven't; I
don't remember. How did you teach Brother Bear to keep his hair
roached and parted? Mostly when I used to know him, he went about
looking mighty ragged and shabby."

Mr. Rabbit chuckled for several moments and then said: "Well, in my
courting-days, you know, I used to go around fixed up in style. Many
and many a time I've heard the girls whisper to one another and say,
'Oh, my! Ain't Mr. Rabbit looking spruce to-day?' There was one season
in particular that I was careful to primp up and look sassy. I put
bergamot oil on my hair, and kept it brushed so slick that a fly
would slip up and cripple himself if he lit on it.

"It so happened that my road took me by Brother Bear's house every
day--right by the front gate. Sometimes Mrs. Bear would be hanging out
clothes on the fence, sometimes she would be sweeping off the front
porch, and sometimes she would be working in the garden; but no matter
what she was doing I'd cough and catch her eye, and then I'd bow just
as polite as you please."

"Wh