y satisfaction out of it, because I simply
won't get angry. I will say to myself, 'Mr. Jay saved my life the other
day,' and then I won't mind your tongue."

Now this made Sammy feel very proud and very happy. You know it is very
seldom that he hears anything nice said of him. He flew down on the
stump of one of the trees Paddy had cut. "Let's be friends," said he.

"With all my heart!" replied Paddy.

[Illustration]

XX

SAMMY JAY OFFERS TO HELP PADDY

Paddy sat looking thoughtfully at the aspen-trees he would have to cut
to complete his store of food for the winter. All those near the edge of
his pond had been cut. The others were scattered about some little
distance away. "I don't know," said Paddy out loud. "I don't know."

"What don't you know?" asked Sammy Jay, who, now that he and Paddy had
become friends, was very much interested in what Paddy was doing.

"Why," replied Paddy, "I don't know just how I am going to get those
trees. Now that Old Man Coyote is watching for me, it isn't safe for
me to go very far from my pond. I suppose I could dig a canal up to
some of the nearest trees and then float them down to the pond, but
it is hard to work and keep sharp watch for enemies at the same time.
I guess I'll have to be content with some of these alders growing
close to the water, but the bark of aspens is so much better that
I--I wish I could get them."

"What's a canal?" asked Sammy abruptly.

"A canal? Why, a canal is a kind of ditch in which water can run,"
replied Paddy.

Sammy nodded. "I've seen Farmer Brown dig one over on the Green Meadows,
but it looked like a great deal of work. I didn't suppose that any one
else could do it. Do you really mean that you can dig a canal, Paddy?"

"Of course I mean it," replied Paddy, in a surprised tone of voice. "I
have helped dig lots of canals. You ought to see some of them back where
I came from."

"I'd like to," replied Sammy. "I think it is perfectly wonderful. I
don't see how you do it."

"It's easy enough when you know how," replied Paddy. "If I dared to, I'd
show you."

Sammy had a sudden idea. It almost made him gasp. "I tell you what, you
work and I'll keep watch!" he cried. "You know my eyes are very sharp."

"Will you?" cried Paddy eagerly. "That would be perfectly splendid. You
have the sharpest eyes of any one whom I know, and I would feel
perfectly safe with you on watch. But I don't want to put you to all
that trouble, Mr. Jay."