ing about.

"Since the Prairie Dogs' village will lie _outside_ the new fence, the
rancher won't pay any more attention to it," Benny Badger said stoutly.
"From this time on, the Prairie Dogs are quite safe--so far as the
rancher is concerned. . . . And that's how I have saved the day."

Benny Badger's secret was out at last. And as fast as people learned it
they stopped to tell him that they had known all the time that he had a
fine plan of some sort, and that if there was anything they could do to
help him they would be greatly obliged if he would "count on them."

Of course the work was all done. But perhaps Benny's neighbors hadn't
stopped to think of that. Anyhow he had never known them to be so
pleasant before. And he quite enjoyed their praise; for everyone told
him that nobody had ever suspected that he was so clever.

It was lucky that Benny took the time when he did to listen to his
neighbors' pleasant speeches. Unfortunately they soon came to a sudden
end.

XX

THE RANCHER IS ANGRY

Benny Badger lay motionless, with his long hair parted along the middle
of his back and flowing off his sides in such a fashion that a careless
passer-by would not have noticed that it was anything more than dry
grass.

For several days Benny had been watching for the rancher. And now, at
last, he saw him coming, riding on a horse over the rolling plain.

There was another man with the rancher. And as soon as Benny caught the
murmur of their voices he made ready to hear many pleasant remarks about
himself. He was only waiting until the riders should discover the holes
he had dug near the prairie dog village.

Nearer and nearer came the men. And Benny Badger crouched lower and
lower.

They had passed him, and ridden a bit nearer the village, when the
rancher suddenly pulled his horse to a stand.

"Ah!" Benny Badger exclaimed under his breath. "He sees the new
post-holes that I've dug for him. And how pleased he'll be!"

It was true that the rancher had just noticed the holes for the first
time. The moment he saw them he gave a great roar.

"A badger!" he shouted. "We'll have to trap him. I can't have him
tearing my ranch up like this. These holes are the finest things in the
world to break a critter's leg in."

Benny Badger could scarcely believe what his own ears told him. He
thought there must be a mistake somewhere. And when the rancher declared
that the badger that dug those holes was worse than a who