as a rowdy. So what could you expect of him?

"You've turned over a new leaf, have you?" he asked Grandfather Mole.

"Yes!" said Grandfather Mole. "And not only one! I've turned over a new
one every day since I last saw you."

Mr. Blackbird replied that he was glad to know it.

[Illustration: Grandfather Mole Greets Mr. Meadow Mouse. (_Page 61_)]

"At least," Grandfather Mole continued, "I've turned over the newest
leaves I could. Of course you can't turn over a leaf unless it's big
enough to turn over. When a leaf is so young that it wraps itself around
the main stalk it's useless to try to turn it over. And it's a great
waste of time waiting for it to grow.... But it's easy to turn over a
big one." Suiting his action to his words, Grandfather Mole stepped up
to a loose-growing head of lettuce, and thrusting his long nose under a
drooping leaf he lifted it up and pushed it over.

As soon as he moved aside a little the leaf promptly righted itself.
Grandfather Mole felt it brush his back as it swept into place again.

"Of course," he remarked, "you can't expect a leaf to stay turned over,
unless you want to stand and hold it in place. And that would be a great
waste of time--especially for one as hungry as I am." And poking his
drill-like snout into the earth, he drew forth a huge angleworm, which
quickly disappeared down his throat.

Mr. Blackbird choked; and not over anything he was eating, either. He
choked because he was angry.

"It's no use," he said gloomily to Mrs. Robin, as soon as he could
speak. "It's no use trying to get Grandfather Mole to stop eating
angleworms. In my opinion, he's too old to turn over a new leaf--the way
I meant.

"You can't teach an old Mole new tricks," said Mr. Blackbird.

XIV

THE NEW SUNSHADE

GRANDFATHER MOLE was resting in the shade of a toadstool. It was a
stifling, sultry day. And having come up into the garden on some errand
or other, Grandfather Mole had found the sunshine upon his back
altogether too hot for his liking.

He was thinking how comfortable his own cool, dark chambers were, and
wondering why anybody should prefer to live above ground in the heat,
when a voice called to him, "What a fine umbrella you have! It must be a
handy thing to have in one's family!"

It was Mr. Meadow Mouse speaking. And since Grandfather Mole knew him
to be a harmless sort of person he asked him to come over and join him.

"To be sure, there's not room enough for tw