as worth.

[Illustration]

"Ker-chunk, ker-chunk!" he cried, as he came up to them, "Why don't you
wait for a fellow? And why didn't you tell me you were going up
stream?"

Puss, Junior, felt very sorry to think that he had really forgotten all
about the old bullfrog.

"Well, you got here all right, didn't you?" asked the muskrat. "Now," he
continued, "I'm going to knock three times on the dam to let Mr. Beaver
know that we would like to cross."

After giving three loud knocks, Mr. Beaver looked over and said: "What's
the matter? Who are you? What do you want? Where did you come from?
Where are you going?"

"We'll answer the last question first," said Puss, Junior, with a grin.
"We'd like to cross over on your beautiful great big dam."

"The toll is a penny," said the beaver, looking them over carefully.

"I haven't got a penny with me," said the little squirrel, "but I have a
dandy big nut, if that will do."

"All right," said the beaver, "give me the nut." He put it in his
pocket, remarking as he did so, "it looks like a good nut. I only hope I
shall not be disappointed when I crack it."

Turning to the chipmunk, he said, "What have you got?"

"A little acorn," answered the chipmunk.

"I don't want any more nuts," said the beaver, disgustedly. "I'm not
particularly fond of nuts, anyway. I only took this one from the
squirrel because I knew he didn't have anything else."

"Here are two pennies, Mr. Beaver--one for Chipmunk and one for me,"
said Puss, Junior.

"All right, Sir Cat," said the beaver, "walk across, but see that you do
not slip, for the water is very deep on the upper side."

Puss carefully wended his way over, followed by the little squirrel and
the chipmunk. The old frog swam over, as did the muskrat. When they all
reached the other side, Puss went forward, followed by his small
comrades, who stretched out behind him like a funny little army.

They hadn't gone very far, when a rabbit jumped out from behind a bush.
Puss, Junior, called out, "Don't be frightened. We won't hurt you."

"Baby!" cried the squirrel, "you're bigger than I am, but you're twice
as much afraid."

"I'm going to a wedding," said the rabbit. "I've no time to wait!" and
away he went.

"Gracious me!" exclaimed the squirrel. "I had forgotten all about Cock
Robin's wedding! I must be going."

"And so must I," cried the chipmunk and the beaver, but what the old
bullfrog said I will tell you in the next story.