IV GRUMPY VANISHES 60

XV THE GREAT MYSTERY 64

XVI GUARDING THE CORNCRIB 69

XVII GRUMPY'S MISTAKE 73

XVIII POP! GOES THE WEASEL 78

XIX HIDING FROM HENRY HAWK 83

XX A FREE RIDE 88

XXI A NEW SUIT 93

XXII GRUMPY'S THREAT 98

XXIII A BOLD STRANGER 103

XXIV FUR AND FEATHERS 107

XXV PETER MINK'S PROMISE 112

XXVI HOW GRUMPY HELPED 116

THE TALE OF GRUMPY WEASEL

I

A SLIM RASCAL

Old Mr. Crow often remarked that if Grumpy Weasel really wanted to be of
some use in the world he would spend his time at the sawmill filling
knot holes in boards.

"He's so slender," Mr. Crow would say, "that he can push himself into a
knot hole no bigger round than Farmer Green's thumb."

Naturally it did not please old Mr. Crow when Solomon Owl went out of
his way one day to tell him that he was sadly mistaken. For after
hearing some gossip repeat Mr. Crow's opinion Solomon Owl--the wise old
bird--had given several long hoots and hurried off, though it was broad
daylight, to set Mr. Crow right.

"The trouble--" Solomon explained when he had found Mr. Crow on the edge
of the woods--"the trouble with your plan to have Grumpy Weasel work in
the sawmill is that he wouldn't keep a knot hole filled longer than a
jiffy. It's true that he can fit a very small hole. But if you'd ever
watched him closely you'd know that he's in a hole and out the other
side so fast you can scarcely see what happens. He's entirely too active
to fill the bill."

Old Mr. Crow made a queer noise in his throat, which showed that Solomon
Owl had made him angry.

"I never said anything about Grumpy Weasel's filling any bills," Mr.
Crow spluttered. "Knot holes were what I had in mind. I've no doubt,
though, that you'd like Grumpy Weasel to fill your own bill."

Now, if Solomon Owl had not tried more than once to catch Grumpy Weasel
perhaps Mr. Crow's retort wouldn't have made him feel so uncomfortable.
And muttering that he wished when people spoke of his beak they wouldn't
call it a bill, and that Mr. Crow was too stupid to talk to, Solomon
blundered away into the woods.

It was true, of course, that Grumpy Weasel was about the quickest of all
the furred folk in Pleasant Valley. Why, you might be looking at