t good
did just getting fat do? Johnny Chuck couldn't eat his own fat, so what
was the use of it? "Must be it's to keep him warm," thought Peter and
brightened up. But why wasn't a good thick coat of fur just as good or
even better? He didn't have any trouble keeping warm. Neither did Billy
Mink or Little Joe Otter or Reddy Fox. No, it couldn't be that Johnny
Chuck put on all that fat just to keep warm. Besides, he would spend the
winter way down deep in the ground, and there was no excuse for being
cold there.

"I couldn't sleep all winter if I wanted to, and I wouldn't if I could,
for there is too much fun to miss," muttered Peter, as he started for
the Smiling Pool in search of Grandfather Frog. He found him sitting on
his big lily-pad, but somehow Grandfather Frog didn't look as chipper
and smart as usual. "He certainly is growing old," thought Peter. "He
isn't as spry as he used to be. Seems as if he had grown old in the last
two or three weeks. Too bad, too bad."

Aloud, Peter said: "Why, Grandfather Frog, how well you are looking! You
are enough to make us young fellows envious."

Grandfather Frog looked at Peter sharply. Perhaps he read the truth in
Peter's eyes. "Chug-a-rum!" said he. "Be honest, Peter. Be honest. Don't
try to flatter, because it is a bad habit to get into. I know how I
look. I look old and tired. Now isn't that so?"

Peter looked a little shamefaced. He didn't know just what to say, so he
said nothing and just nodded his head.

"That's better," said Grandfather Frog gruffly. "Always tell the truth.
The fact is I _am_ tired. I am so tired that I'm going to sleep for the
winter, and I'm going to do it this very day."

"Oh, Grandfather Frog," (Peter had found his tongue), "please tell me
something before you go. I can understand how you may want to sleep all
winter because you have no nice fur coat to keep you warm, but why does
Johnny Chuck do it, and how does he do it? Why doesn't he starve to
death?"

Grandfather Frog had to smile at the eager curiosity in Peter's voice.
"I see you are just as full of questions as ever, Peter," said he. "I
suppose I may as well tell you one more story, because it will be a long
time before you will get another from me. Johnny Chuck sleeps all winter
because he is sensible, and he is sensible because it runs in the family
to be sensible. His great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather was sensible.
It's a very good thing to have good sound common sense run in