surprised, therefore, to meet Grumpy Weasel face to face one time,
when he felt sure that that surly rogue must be a good safe distance
away.

Mr. Meadow Mouse cast a quick glance around. But he could see no place
to hide. So there was nothing for him to do but to put on a bold front.
He bowed pleasantly enough, though he was trembling a little, and
remarked that it was a fine day and that he hoped Grumpy was feeling
happy--all of which was quite true.

Grumpy Weasel glowered at Mr. Meadow Mouse, for that was his way of
replying to a kindly greeting.

"You've not come here to hunt, I hope," he growled. "I'll have you know
that this is my private hunting ground and I allow no poaching."

Mr. Meadow Mouse hastened to explain that he was merely out for a
stroll.

"I never hunt," he declared. "Of course, if I happen to see a tiny seed
I may stop to eat it. But that's all."

"You'd better be careful what you say!" Grumpy Weasel snapped. "Unless
I'm mistaken, you were hunting something the moment you saw me. You were
hunting a hole."

Mr. Meadow Mouse gasped slightly. He hardly knew what to say.

"Be very careful where you go around here!" Grumpy Weasel warned him.
"The holes in this stone wall are all mine. I shouldn't want you to use
a single one of them without my permission."

Mr. Meadow Mouse assured him that he wouldn't dream of trespassing.

"And these holes among the roots of the trees--they are mine too,"
Grumpy Weasel snarled.

"Oh, certainly! Certainly!" Mr. Meadow Mouse cried. He was so quick to
agree that for once Grumpy Weasel couldn't think of anything more to
find fault about.

"I'll let you crawl into a few of the smaller holes in the stone wall,
if you'll be careful not to hurt them," he offered grudgingly.

Mr. Meadow Mouse made haste to thank him.

He said, however, that he thought he would wait till some other time.

"There's no time like the present," Grumpy Weasel grumbled. "To tell
the truth, I want to see if you can squeeze through as small a hole as I
can."

V

SOLOMON OWL INTERRUPTS

Plump little Mr. Meadow Mouse wished he had stayed away from Grumpy
Weasel's hunting ground. He would have scampered off, had he not known
that Grumpy could overtake him before he had made three leaps. So he saw
no way out of his trouble, though he could think of nothing less
agreeable than trying to slip through a small hole with Grumpy Weasel
close at hand, watching him narrowly.

Th