sed like, and he felt in his pockets once
more, to see if he had his money safe.

"Because we are too poor," answered the mousie girl. "My papa is sick
with the epizootic, and my mamma has the rheumatism so bad that she
can't take in washing, and we are so cold and miserable! My little
brother sells papers, telling the mouse people about cheese and
crackers, and how to keep out of traps, but his toes got so cold,
because he had no shoes, that he can't sell papers any more.

"So I started out to sell matches, but I dropped them in a barrel of
water, and no one wants to buy wet matches, you know. Oh, hoo, boo! Boo,
hoo! How cold and miserable and hungry I am!" and she cried, oh so
sadly.

Jacko and Jumpo thought for a minute. Then Jacko pulled his brother to
one side.

"Look here," said Jacko, blinking his eyes, "we've got to do something
for that mousie girl."

"That's right," said Jumpo, sniffing his nose.

"I--I don't care much about an automobile, anyhow, do you?" asked Jacko.

"N--no--no--not--much," spoke Jumpo, slowly.

"They're always getting stuck, and won't go, and then you have to get
out and walk, and besides they use so much gasoline, and--and gasoline
smells so--so funny! Say, we don't need an auto. Let's give the mousie
girl this money."

"All right," said Jumpo, so Jacko handed the poor little girl the $1.17.

"There," said Jacko, "take it home and get some coal and something to
eat. We don't want an auto, anyway."

"Oh, thank you so much!" exclaimed the mousie girl, as she hurried away.

"Well, I--I guess we might as well go back home," said Jacko, sadly,
after a bit.

"Yes," agreed Jumpo, and they started off together. Well, they hadn't
gone very far before they heard a bangity-bang noise down the street,
and, running up, they saw Uncle Wiggily standing in front of his auto.
It was standing still and smoking and making a terrible racket and a
policeman dog was saying:

"Come, now, Mr. Wiggily, you'll have to move along."

"Move along! I only wish I could," cried the old gentleman rabbit. "I
never saw such a pesky automobile! It's always stopping. I've jiggled
and joggled and tickled everything from the whoop-de-doodle-do down to
the slam-bangity-what-is-it, but it won't go. I'm done with it. Whoever
wants it can have it!"

"Oh, may we have it?" cried Jacko, as Uncle Wiggily started toward the
sidewalk, leaving the auto in the street.

"To be sure you may, and I'll buy a gallon of ga