than one little hen's egg."

[Illustration]

Then hidden down in the hay they came across a mouse's home with four
baby mice in it. They looked very small and young and funny. Their tiny
eyes were shut tight. "You are cunning little things but you won't buy
us a picnic," said Peggy.

In the eaves of the barn they found a swallow's nest, but the baby birds
had flown away. Only some pieces of eggshell were left.

All that day and part of the next and the next and the next the children
hunted and hunted but no Brown Betty and no turkey eggs could they find.

One bright June morning Mary said, "Let's go into the woods to play."

"Oh, may we?" Betty and Peggy asked their mothers. And little Dot said,
"Oh, please may I?" and looked from one mother to the other.

"Yes, let them go," said Mrs. White. "The woods are not far away and
there is nothing to harm them there."

So the four little girls started out.

They went down a shady lane and through a meadow. Then they came to the
woods and wandered about for a while. At last they stopped by the side
of a little brook that flowed merrily on its way.

In a few minutes, shoes and stockings were taken off and the children
were wading in the cool, rippling water. It was lots of fun, but the
water was very cold. Soon they were glad to dry their feet in the soft
grass and put on their shoes and stockings again.

"Let's make a tree playhouse," said Mary; "I'll show you how." So they
set to work with Mary as leader. They found a hollow tree with plenty of
room in it. Next they gathered all the soft, velvety moss they could
find. With this they made a thick green carpet on the floor. Then they
made green moss furniture too. They had a bed, a couch, a table, and a
chair.

"We should have some one to live in our green, mossy house," said Peggy.
"Let's go to the meadow and gather some daisies and make little flower
people out of them."

So off the children went. In a little while, back they came with their
hands full of flowers.

Peggy was the first one to reach the tree house. She looked in and then
began to laugh and call to the others to come quickly.

"We needn't make any flower people for our house," she said. "It's
already rented." And sure enough, there on the green moss couch was a
fat brown toad. He was winking and blinking and looking much pleased
with his new home.

[Illustration]

The children sat down to rest and watch Mr. Toad. All of a sudden they
heard