seen farmers do. He thought a great deal of
it."

[Illustration: THE MAYOR PARDONING THE THIEF]

"I've read something about the great thief," remarked Buster John.
"But the story didn't end that way. The thief escaped every time."

"Oh, well, you know how some people are," exclaimed Mrs. Meadows.
"They want everything to happen just so; even a thief must be a big
man if he's in a story; but I don't believe anybody ever stole
anything yet without getting into trouble about it."

"Who is that crying?" Mr. Rabbit suddenly exclaimed.

"I hear no crying," said Mrs. Meadows.

"I certainly thought I heard crying," persisted Mr. Rabbit.

"It is Chickamy Crany Crow and Tickle-My-Toes singing. Listen!"

Sure enough the queer-looking boy and the queer-looking girl were
singing a song. One sang one line and the other the next line, and
this made the song somewhat comical. The words were something like
these:--

CHICKAMY CRANY CROW.

Oh sing it slow,
This song of woe,
Of the girl who went to wash her toe!
Her name was Chick--
(Oh run here quick--
The word's so thick)--
Chickamy--Chickamy Crany Crow!

Chickamy what? and Chickamy which?
She went to the well and fell in the ditch;
What o'clock, old Witch?

The clock struck one
And bowed to the sun;
But the sun was fast asleep you know;
And the moon was quick,
With her oldtime trick--
To hide from Chick--
Chickamy--Chickamy Crany Crow!

Chickamy what? and Chickamy which?
She went to the well and fell in the ditch;
What o'clock, old Witch?

Oh, sad to tell!
She went to the well--
The time was as close to eve as to dawn--
To Chickamy Chick,
So supple and slick,
The clock said "Tick!"
But when she came back her chicken was gone!

Oh, whatamy, whichamy, chickamy, oh!
Moonery, oonery, tickamy Toe!
Wellery, tellery, gittery go!
Witchery, itchery, knitchery know.

[Illustration: CHICKAMY CRANY CROW AND TICKLE-MY-TOES]

"What kinder gwines on is dat?" exclaimed Drusilla, whose mind had
never been quite easy since she walked through the dry water in the
spring without getting drowned. "We all better be makin' our way
to'rds home. Time we git d