he dead tree, though they had
moved to its very top; and they had stopped drumming.

"How did the music sound?" one of them asked.

"It was the worst I ever heard," Mr. Fox snarled.

The Grouse brothers snickered. And one of them invited Mr. Fox to
come up where they were.

But he never even thanked them.

XVI

THE PLAY-HOUSE

As Billy Woodchuck grew bigger he was often to be seen digging
holes in the pasture. You might think he was looking for something.
But he was not. He was merely playing at making houses.

First he would dig a slanting hole down into the ground. And then
from the bottom of that he would run a level tunnel. When his
tunnel was as long as he wanted it, he would work his way upward
for a short distance. And there he would make a chamber, much like
the one at home.

Of course, Billy's play-houses were not so big as his mother's
home. The front stairs were shorter, and the hall was not so long,
and the chamber was smaller. But he thought they were wonderful.
And he made up his mind that the next time Johnnie Green or dog
Spot chased him he would run down into one of those play-houses and
hide. Billy hoped that he would be chased soon.

He did not have to wait long. One evening when old Spot had started
the last cow homeward he lingered in the pasture a while. If there
was one thing he liked, it was chasing woodchucks.

When Billy Woodchuck caught sight of Spot, sniffing along the
ground, he climbed up on a hummock, so that Spot could see him, and
gave a loud whistle.

It didn't take old Spot long to see Billy. And as soon as he spied
him he made a dash for him.

That was exactly what Billy Woodchuck wanted. He waited as long as
he dared. And then he made off like a gray streak toward his newest
house.

Old Spot saw his bushy tail disappear through the front door. And
Spot looked down into the darkness and called Billy a few names.

He pawed and scratched at the door, too. But he was no such digger
as Billy Woodchuck. And after a while he grew tired of staying
there and went away.

That night, after Billy Woodchuck went home, he boasted about his
newest play-house.

"It's exactly as good as this one," he bragged. "To-day old Spot
chased me, and I ran into my house and he never touched me. After
this I'm always going to hide there."

Billy's brothers and sisters thought he was very clever. But his
mother said:

"I want to see that play-house. To-morrow you may show it t