E CRICKET

One day, as Jacko and Jumpo Kinkytail were coming home from school they
happened to go past a pile of stones in the woods. And just as they got
near to the stones they saw something black on top.

"Oh!" exclaimed Jacko, "perhaps that is one of the rings from my black
paper chain that I fastened the alligator with."

"Maybe it is," agreed Jumpo. "And if it is, why the alligator may be
around here. We had better be careful. Let's run home."

Well, they were just going to run, not knowing the alligator had gone
away as I told you in the previous story, when the black thing on the
pile of stones gave a jump and disappeared down in a crack between two
rocks.

"Ha! That is very funny!" said Jacko. "I didn't know that pieces of
paper could jump."

"Me either," said Jumpo. "Let's go up and take a look. Maybe it isn't a
piece of your paper chain after all; and the alligator may not be
there."

So they went closer to the pile of stones, and all at once, and as
quickly as you can eat a dish of ice cream on a hot day, they heard a
little voice singing. And this was the song, which goes to the tune of
"Rinky-tinky diddily-dum,"

"Let's be jolly, don't be sad,
Let's be good and not be bad.
If you fall and hurt your nose,
Dance upon your tippy-toes.

"Always try to sing or play,
Laughter drives dull care away.
Whistle with a happy shout,
Music turns the world about."

"My, you must be a jolly fellow, whoever you are!" said Jacko.

"Oh, no; I am the most miserable creature in all the world," was the
sorrowful answer from beneath the pile of stones.

"Then why do you sing about happiness; and who are you?" asked Jumpo.

"I am a chirping black cricket," was the answer. "I was sitting on this
stone pile when I happened to see you coming. I thought you were two
bears, so I jumped down in here and now I cannot get out again, for
every time I try to jump out I bump my nose. Are you really bears?"

"No, indeed; we're two monkey boys," spoke Jacko. "But we will help you
out of the stone pile. Come, Jumpo, let's toss the stones away, one by
one, and the cricket can get out."

So they did this, and pretty soon the little black creature could crawl
out.

"Well, are you happy now?" asked Jacko.

"Oh, no; I am very sad, for I know winter will soon be here and I will
freeze to death," said the cricket. "But still I sing my joyous song as
I want other people to be happy. I am much