e, but I think that you will agree with me that the
results are worth it.

"Climbing up on the bed with the rubbers in my mouth is difficult, but
it doesn't make any difference if some of the mud comes off on the side
of the bedspread. In fact, it all helps in the final effect. I usually
try to smear them around when I get them at last on the spread, and if I
can leave one of them on the pillow, I feel that it's a pretty fine
little old world, after all. This done, and I am off."

And Georgie Dog suddenly disappeared in official pursuit of an
automobile going eighty-five miles an hour.

"So now," said Mother Nature to her little pupils, "we have heard all
about Georgie Dog's work. To-morrow we may listen to Lillian Mosquito
tell how she makes her voice carry across a room."

ANIMAL STORIES

II

_How Lillian Mosquito Projects Her Voice_

All the children came crowding around Mother Nature one cold, raw
afternoon in summer, crying in unison:

"Oh, Mother Nature, you promised us that you would tell us how Lillian
Mosquito projects her voice! You promised that you would tell us how
Lillian Mosquito projects her voice!"

"So I did! So I did!" said Mother Nature, laying down an oak, the leaves
of which she was tipping with scarlet for the fall trade. "And so I
will! So I will!"

At which Waldo Lizard, Edna Elephant and Lawrence Walrus jumped with
imitation joy, for they had hoped to have an afternoon off.

Mother Nature led them across the fields to the piazza of a clubhouse on
which there was an exposed ankle belonging to one of the members. There,
as she had expected, they found Lillian Mosquito having tea.

"Lillian," called Mother Nature, "come off a minute. I have some little
friends here who would like to know how it is that you manage to hum in
such a manner as to give the impression of being just outside the ear
of a person in bed, when actually you are across the room."

"Will you kindly repeat the question?" said Lillian flying over to the
railing.

"We want to know," said Mother Nature, "how it is that very often, when
you have been fairly caught, it turns out that you have escaped without
injury."

"I would prefer to answer the question as it was first put," said
Lillian.

So Waldo Lizard, Edna Elephant and Lawrence Walrus, seeing that there
was no way out, cried:

"Yes, yes, Lillian, do tell us."

"First of all, you must know," began Lillian Mosquito, "that my chief
duty is to a