middle of the night Uncle Wiggily was awakened by
hearing some one talking under his window. He looked out, and there were
two savage old owls.

"Now, we'll fly right in through her window," said one owl, "and we'll eat
her all up, and then we'll tear her house down."

And, would you believe it, they started right toward the house of the poor
busy lady bug, who was fast asleep.

"Ha! This must never be!" cried Uncle Wiggily. "I must save her. How can I
do it?" So he looked around, and he saw a broom, which the busy bug had
left behind when she finished sweeping. "That will do!" cried the rabbit.
He took it in his paws and, leaning out of the window, he held it just as
if it was a gun, and cried:

"Now, you bad owls, fly away or I'll shoot all your feathers off! Fly away
and don't you harm my friend, the busy lady bug!"

Well, sir, those owls were so frightened, thinking that Uncle Wiggily was
going to shoot them with the broom-gun (only, of course, they didn't know
it was only a broom), and, would you believe it, they were terribly afraid
and they flew off into the dark woods, and so didn't eat up the busy bug
after all, and she slept in peace and quietness, never even waking up, she
was so tired after being busy all day.

Then Uncle Wiggily went back to bed, and the owls didn't disturb him again
that night. And in the morning the busy bug got his breakfast and thanked
him when he told her about scaring the owls away with the make-believe
broom-gun.

Uncle Wiggily traveled on, and soon he had another adventure. What it was
I'll tell you almost right away, when, in case the cake of ice doesn't
melt, and make a mud puddle for the baby to fall into, I'll tell you about
Uncle Wiggily and the funny monkey.

STORY XII

UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE FUNNY MONKEY

It was a bright and beautiful sunshiny day, and Uncle Wiggily was hopping
along the road, thinking many thoughts and about the busy bug and the
black cricket and all things like that and how hard it was to look and
look for your fortune and never find it, when all of a sudden, just as he
happened to put his crutch down on a round stone, it slipped, and down he
fell kerthump.

"Oh, wow! Ouch!" cried the old gentleman rabbit as he bumped his nose on a
sharp stick. "That hurt! My, I hope I haven't broken one of my ears or
paw-nails. If I did I'll have to get in the ambulance and go to the
hospital."

So he sat up very slowly and carefully and looked himsel