would all get wet and
be spoiled. He thought about this twice, and maybe more than twice, and
the more he thought about it the less he wanted to get up and close that
window. Then, all at once, there came a flash of lightning and low
growling thunder. Down he bobbed under the covers, and this made him
want to get up less than ever. He knew, though, that it would be raining
hard pretty soon, and spoiling his things. He had to do something right
off.

So, after thinking a minute, he sat up in bed and called out:

"Oh, Mr. 'Coon! You forgot to close the parlor window. It will rain in
on your things."

But Mr. 'Coon called back:

"It won't hurt MY things, Mr. Crow. They're over on the other side of
the room."

And Mr. 'Possum, who was sitting up in bed, too, listened and laughed in
the dark.

But just then there was another flash of lightning, and Mr. Crow bobbed
down, and Mr. 'Coon bobbed down, and Mr. 'Possum bobbed down, so's not
to hear the thunder. Then, pretty soon, Mr. Crow sat up in bed again and
called out:

"Oh, Mr. 'Possum! You forgot to close the parlor window. It will rain in
on your things."

But Mr. 'Possum called back:

"It won't hurt MY things, Mr. Crow. They're all over by the stairs."

And Mr. 'Coon, who was sitting up in bed, listened and laughed in the
dark, too.

Then for a minute Mr. Crow didn't know but that he'd have to go down and
shut that window himself, after all. And while he was thinking how much
he didn't want to, there came another flash of lightning, brighter than
ever, and Mr. Crow and Mr. 'Coon and Mr. 'Possum all bobbed down again
and covered up their heads, so's not to hear the thunder. But Mr. Crow
heard it a little, anyway, and it set him to thinking. So when he sat up
again he called out:

"Oh, Mr. 'Coon, did Jack Rabbit push in the latch string down stairs?"

And Mr. 'Coon called back:

"I s'pose so, Mr. Crow. You told him to. Why?"

"Oh, nothing, only he left in a great hurry, and I thought maybe he
didn't get it quite in."

And Mr. 'Possum listened again, but this time he didn't laugh.

Then Mr. Crow called out to him, too:

"Oh, Mr. 'Possum, did Mr. Rabbit push in the latch string when he left?"

And Mr. 'Possum called back:

"I don't know, Mr. Crow. But you told him to. Why?"

"Oh, nothing; only I heard something just now that sounded like Mr. Dog
barking and coming this way."

And Mr. 'Coon listened again, too, but he didn't laugh any this time,