ANDFATHER FROG'S TROUBLES GROW

XXIII. THE DEAR OLD SMILING POOL ONCE MORE

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"HAVE A NICE NAP?" INQUIRED JERRY, WITH A BROAD GRIN

"THANK YOU," SAID LONGLEGS. "I BELIEVE I HAVE AN ERRAND UP THAT WAY"

AS SOON AS THEY SAW GRANDFATHER FROG, THEY BEGAN TO LAUGH, TOO

"YOU WON'T SEE MUCH OF THE GREAT WORLD IF YOU JUMP LIKE THAT EVERY
TIME YOU GET A SCARE," SAID DANNY

HE SEIZED THE OTHER END OF THE STRING AND BEGAN TO PULL

"THAT'S JUST WHAT I'M AFRAID OF!" CROAKED GRANDFATHER FROG

THE ADVENTURES OF GRANDFATHER FROG

I

BILLY MINK FINDS LITTLE JOE OTTER

Billy Mink ran around the edge of the Smiling Pool and turned down by
the Laughing Brook. His eyes twinkled with mischief, and he hurried as
only Billy can. As he passed Jerry Muskrat's house, Jerry saw him.

"Hi, Billy Mink! Where are you going in such a hurry this fine morning?"
he called.

"To find Little Joe Otter. Have you seen anything of him?" replied
Billy.

"No," said Jerry. "He's probably down to the Big River fishing. I heard
him say last night that he was going."

"Thanks," said Billy Mink, and without waiting to say more he was off
like a little brown flash.

Jerry watched him out of sight. "Hump!" exclaimed Jerry. "Billy Mink is
in a terrible hurry this morning. Now I wonder what he is so anxious to
find Little Joe Otter for. When they get their heads together, it is
usually for some mischief."

Jerry climbed to the top of his house and looked over the Smiling Pool
in the direction from which Billy Mink had just come. Almost at once he
saw Grandfather Frog fast asleep on his big green lily-pad. The legs of
a foolish green fly were sticking out of one corner of his big mouth.
Jerry couldn't help laughing, for Grandfather Frog certainly did look
funny.

"He's had a good breakfast this morning, and his full stomach has made
him sleepy," thought Jerry. "But he's getting careless in his old age.
He certainly is getting careless. The idea of going to sleep right out
in plain sight like that!"

Suddenly a new thought popped into his head. "Billy Mink saw him, and
that is why he is so anxious to find Little Joe Otter. He is planning to
play some trick on Grandfather Frog as sure as pollywogs have tails!"
exclaimed Jerry. Then his eyes began to twinkle as he added: "I think
I'll have some fun myself."

Without another word Jerry slipped down into the water and swam over to
the big green lily-pad o