It was that old black rascal, Mr. Crow, that put that notion into Jimmy
Rabbit's head," Grumpy said savagely to himself as he turned and made
for the woods. "They were talking together a little while ago."

And all the way back to the stone wall he kept thinking what he would do
to Mr. Crow if he could ever get hold of him. So you can see that he
must have looked very dangerous when he reached his hunting ground; and
you can understand why Mr. Crow took pains to change his seat.

"I may have lost the race--through a trick," Grumpy hissed as he glared
at Mr. Crow. "But one thing is certain: That young Jimmy Rabbit will
trouble us no more. He's Johnny Green's prisoner."

"Nonsense!" cried Mr. Crow. "He'll escape some fine day."

"Nonsense! He won't!" Grumpy Weasel disputed. And he never begged Mr.
Crow's pardon. And neither did Peter Mink apologize to the old
gentleman, as Mr. Crow had said he would. So in one way Mr. Crow was
wrong. But in another way he was right. For it wasn't a week before
Jimmy Rabbit appeared in the woods again, as spry as ever.

XIII

SILLY MRS. HEN

Strange to say, Grumpy Weasel was trying to be pleasant. Of course he
didn't really know how, for he always practiced being surly and rude. It
must be confessed, too, that he had succeeded in making himself heartily
disliked by everybody that knew him.

There were a few, however, who had yet to learn of Grumpy Weasel's bad
traits. Among these was a foolish, fat hen who lived in Farmer Green's
henhouse. And now Grumpy Weasel was doing his best to make a good
impression on her.

It is no wonder, perhaps, that this lady was unaware of her caller's
real nature. For Grumpy was careful, as a rule, to visit the farmyard
only after dark. And being a person of quiet habits Mrs. Hen was always
abed and asleep at that time.

Grumpy found it a bit difficult to chat with Mrs. Hen because old dog
Spot was sprawled on the farmhouse steps; and naturally Grumpy felt like
keeping one eye on him. But the other he turned, as well as he could, on
Mrs. Hen, who was in the henyard looking for worms. Just outside the
wire fence Grumpy Weasel crouched and told Mrs. Hen how well she was
looking.

His pretty speeches pleased Mrs. Hen so much that she actually let a fat
angleworm get away from her because she hadn't her mind on what she was
doing. She noticed meanwhile that one of her neighbors was making
frantic motions, as if she had something important to