now, he doesn't!" Jasper disputed.

"Why not?" Grandfather Mole cried.

"Because I've just brought his apology and given it to you," Jasper Jay
replied.

But Grandfather Mole told him to be gone, and to take the apology away
with him.

"It's nothing but an insult!" Grandfather Mole declared.

XX

A SIGN OF RAIN

OVER near the garden fence lay an old hollow log. Grandfather Mole
discovered it one day; and thinking that it would be a fine place to
look for grubs and other good things, he crept into one end of it.

If he had been able to see, near the other end of the log, a pair of
bright eyes that peered at him out of the darkness perhaps he would have
backed out in a hurry. But it was all right. The owner of the two eyes
was only Sandy Chipmunk. And he spoke pleasantly to Grandfather Mole, in
a soft sort of chatter, because he didn't want to alarm him.

"Good afternoon!" said Grandfather Mole. At Sandy's first word he had
jumped. But as soon as he knew who was in the log with him he felt safe
enough. "What are you doing here, young man?" Grandfather inquired.

"I came in to get out of the rain," Sandy told him.

"Rain!" Grandfather Mole exclaimed. "It's not raining!"

"I know that. But it's going to," Sandy Chipmunk replied.

"There's not the least sign of rain," Grandfather Mole declared. Being
older than Sandy, he didn't hesitate to dispute what Sandy said. And he
never troubled himself to apologize, either. Sandy Chipmunk noticed
that, for he had been carefully reared by his mother. But he knew that
Grandfather Mole was considered an odd old gentleman. And besides, what
could Sandy have said that wouldn't have sounded rude?

"There's not a sign of rain," Grandfather Mole repeated, "so far as I
can see."

"How far can you see?" Sandy inquired politely.

"Tut, tut!" said Grandfather Mole. "What I mean is that I haven't
_noticed_ anything that foretells rain. For instance, I haven't had a
twinge of rheumatism since I don't know when."

"Well, I'm glad of that, anyhow," Sandy assured him. "But I saw a sign
of rain to-day that perhaps you never noticed."

"What was that?"

"Farmer Green's cat was washing her face on the doorsteps," Sandy
explained triumphantly. "It's a sure sign of rain. My mother has never
known it to fail."

"Farmer Green's cat!" Grandfather Mole repeated after him. And he
shuddered as he spoke. "Don't you know that she's not a trustworthy
person? You surely don't depen