big rock not far from his own dooryard. But he had
scarcely found a comfortable seat for himself, after finishing his
breakfast, when he caught sight of Farmer Green and his hired man
coming across the fields. They were headed straight for the
pasture. And Mr. Woodchuck began to complain so loudly about his
rest being disturbed, and how mean it was of Farmer Green to come
poking about other people's dooryards, that Mrs. Woodchuck came to
her door to see what had happened.

As soon as she saw those men she called her children all home. It
was too bad. But until the intruders had gone, their underground
house was the best place for the whole Woodchuck family.

Mr. Woodchuck alone lingered in the doorway. He made up his mind
that he would not go inside until he had to, anyhow.

A little later there came a terrible noise like a clap of thunder.
Even in their house down there in the ground Mrs. Woodchuck and her
children felt the walls shake.

"What can have happened?" she asked her husband. He had come in
somewhat out of breath, soon after that frightful sound.

"It seems to be a new kind of gun," he said, "though I didn't
notice that the men brought one with them. It went off close to an
old stump; and you should have seen the wood and dirt fly. The
noise has given me a headache. That is why I came into the house."

Now, Mrs. Woodchuck knew him very well. And though he tried not to
let her know it, she saw that he was scared. But she did not
mention _that_ to him. There were the children, you know. She
didn't want _them_ to be frightened.

Now and then that booming, roaring, thundering sound would burst
upon their ears again. And the earth would rock. Each time that
happened Mrs. Woodchuck would go to her back door, where she could
not be seen easily, and peep out. And what she saw filled her with
fear.

Mr. Woodchuck did not help to make the day any pleasanter, for he
was forever complaining about his lame back. He claimed that he
needed sunshine; and he said that as soon as he could find time he
intended to report Farmer Green to the Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals.

"This is almost enough," he said, "to make me move to the West. I
have a cousin who went there years ago. It is a long way from
here--at least a mile the other side of Blue Mountain. Yes! I would
move at once--except that I will _not_ be driven out of my own
house by anyone." He looked so fierce as he said that that Billy
Woodc