. Crow croaked. "If you get too
tired you'll never win."

"Rest!" Grumpy exploded. "I don't need to rest! I never felt better in
my life, except that I'm pretty hungry. But I'm bound to win this race."
As he spoke of feeling hungry he cast a longing glance at Jimmy Rabbit,
who was just dodging out of sight behind a distant tree.

"Wait here a bit, anyhow!" Mr. Crow urged him. "Since you're sure to
win--as you say--there can be no hurry." And Peter Mink too begged his
cousin Grumpy to stop just a minute. And he laughed, "Ha, ha!" whenever
he looked at Mr. Crow.

And strange to say, Mr. Crow said, "Ha, ha!" too.

[Illustration: Grumpy Calls on Mrs. Hen. (_Page 58_)]

XII

WINNING BY A TRICK

Grumpy Weasel wouldn't stop long with his cousin, Peter Mink, and old
Mr. Crow and all the rest.

He was in a hurry to overtake Jimmy Rabbit. And after quarreling
fiercely with the whole company--except his cousin--he sprang up with a
wicked glitter in his black eyes and left without another word.

"That fixed him," said Mr. Crow knowingly.

"What did?" Peter Mink demanded.

"That rest!" Mr. Crow replied. "It gave Jimmy Rabbit just time enough
to go where he's going." And that was all he would say.

Not until Grumpy Weasel returned some time later did any one know what
Mr. Crow meant.

Grumpy Weasel was in a terrible temper when he came slowly back.
Everybody could tell, without asking, that the race was ended.

"Where did you catch him?" Peter Mink asked his cousin.

Grumpy Weasel said in a few ill-chosen words that he hadn't caught Jimmy
Rabbit at all, and that somebody had played a trick on him. He looked
directly at Mr. Crow as he spoke.

"It wasn't Johnny Green, was it?" Mr. Crow inquired solemnly as he moved
carefully to a higher limb.

Grumpy Weasel could tell, then, without a doubt, that it was Mr. Crow
that had made him lose the race. Grumpy had followed hot on Jimmy
Rabbit's tracks. And to his surprise they led straight toward the farm
buildings. But Grumpy kept on and never stopped until he reached the
farmyard fence where he crouched and watched Jimmy disappear--of all
places!--right in the woodshed, where Johnny Green was picking up an
armful of wood.

Of course Grumpy Weasel wouldn't think of entering such a dangerous
place. And when he heard a shout and saw Johnny Green come out with
Jimmy Rabbit in his arms he knew that Jimmy Rabbit had won the race,
even if he had lost his freedom.

"