e big oak, and there was Mr. Crow
roosting on the very tiptoppest branch, looking as if he'd been asleep
for a month. He didn't pay the least little bit of attention when I
spoke to him, and just for the minute I thought I'd best go back home
without sticking my nose into any of the old fellow's plans; but if I
did that there wouldn't be any rest for me the whole of that night, so
off I hopped into the open, where he couldn't help seeing me if he
lifted his head, and then I shouted:

"'Hi there! President Crow! Hello!'

"I must have made considerable noise toward the last, for suddenly the
old bird raised his head with a jerk, as if he'd heard Butcher Weasel
coming after him, and looked around as if frightened till he saw me.
Then he shook himself so that the feathers on his neck ruffled up as
if he were ready for a fight, and asked crossly:

"'Is that you, Mr. Rabbit?'

"Of course I told him it was I, as I stood right out there for all
hands to see, and if it hadn't been for making trouble when it didn't
seem to be necessary I'd have something to say about the president of
such a club as ours asking questions when he knew full well what the
answers were.

"'Why are you loitering around here? Why don't you go home and do up
your chores before dark?' he croaked in a way that didn't please me a
little bit, for I'm not the kind of rabbit that neglects his family,
except, perhaps, when there's something important on hand for me to
watch and I told him so plainly; but he croaked again:

"'I'm still wanting to know why you don't go home? There won't be any
meeting of this club till nearly sunset, and perhaps not then, unless
Jimmy Hedgehog gets into trouble.'

"'That's why I'm here, Mr. Crow,' I said quickly, getting excited
again. 'I'm just regularly dying to know how old Slowly Turtle can do
anything to help along the plan you said you'd worked out.'

"'Come around about sunset and perhaps you'll see a thing or two,' he
said, and then stuck his head under his wing as if he were nearly dead
for want of sleep.

"There didn't seem to be any sense in hanging around after that, for
when Mr. Crow makes up his mind not to talk Mr. Man himself couldn't
drag a word out of him, and off I went hipperty-hop as if it weren't
in my head to go anywhere in particular; but I was headed for the
pond, because I'd made up my mind to know what was to be done, and
that before it happened, even if I had to hang around all night. It
wa