"I said that Billy was too young to take to the clover field," she
reminded him.

Mr. Woodchuck groaned again.

"Does your nose still pain you?" she asked.

"It's my back," he answered. "I am afraid I hurt it again. And I
don't suppose I shall be able to do another stroke of work all the
rest of the summer."

Somehow, that did not seem to worry Mrs. Woodchuck at all. To tell
the truth, she knew very well that her husband was lazy.

"I shall punish this boy to-morrow--if my back is strong enough,"
Mr. Woodchuck said.

But the next day Mr. Woodchuck was so busy sunning himself that he
never found time to punish Billy after all.

VII

GREEN PEAS

In Farmer Green's garden there were many things that Billy
Woodchuck liked to eat. It seemed to him that every time he stole
down there he found some new vegetable that was nicer than any he
had tasted before. And one day he came upon something that was far
sweeter and juicier than anything he had ever eaten.

Farmer Green's peas were just ready to be picked. Billy Woodchuck
did not know what they were called. But that made no difference to
him. He sat up on his hind legs and pulled off the fat pods and ate
the tender green peas greedily.

I should hate to say how long he stayed there. But it was a very
long time. When he reached the garden-patch it had been so early in
the morning that none of Farmer Green's family was astir. The sun
rose while Billy was breakfasting. And after a while a door slammed
now and then. But Billy Woodchuck never heard a sound, though the
farmhouse was not far away. He was having such a good meal that he
forgot everything else.

At last he could eat no more. He hated to stop. But he could not
hold another mouthful. And now, as he looked around, he was
startled to see Farmer Green's hired man walking toward him. The
hired man had a hoe on his shoulder; and he was coming to work in
the garden.

But Billy did not know that. He was sure that the man was after
_him_. So he dropped down on all fours and started to run. He
really did _try_ to run. But to his surprise he could only drag
himself along the ground.

The first thing that came into his head was the thought that he had
been poisoned. He had heard of such things happening. What else
could be the matter? His hind legs seemed too weak to hold up his
body. Yes! As he pulled himself slowly along, his fat stomach
actually dragged on the ground.

Of course, he could not go