Part 6 (1/2)

When Striped Chips of Grandfather Frog together, Grandfather Frog was so relieved that he hardly knehat to do Of course he thanked Striped Chipain Striped Chip at all, and that he was very glad indeed to help Grandfather Frog

”We folks who live out in the Great World have to help one another,”

said Striped Chipmunk, ”because we never knoe may need help ourselves Now you takePool as fast as you can The Great World is no place for an old fellow like you, because you don't kno to take care of yourself”

Nohen he said that, Striped Chipreat mistake Old people never like to be told that they are old or that they do not know all there is to know Grandfather Frog straightened up and tried to look very dignified

”Chugarum!” said he, ”I'd have you to know, Striped Chip to me for advice before you were born It was just an accident that Farain Yes, Sir, I'd like to see hi was boasting If he had been safe at hoht have been so Lane, not even knowing the way back to the S Pool, it was foolish, very foolish indeed No one knew that better than Striped Chip, and he knew too that Grandfather Frog was feeling very much out of sorts and very ht in such a scrape, so he put a hand over his oing to catch you again I knoise and smart you are, but you look to ers out here in the Great World that it seeo back to the S is stubborn, you know He had started out to see the Great World, and he didn't want the little people of the Green Meadows and the Green Forest to think that he was afraid The truth is, Grandfather Frog was ers around him, which shows just how foolish wise people can be soaru to see the Great World first, and then I a Pool Do you happen to knohere there is any water? I a Lane was a spring where Far with clear cold water to take with him to the cornfield when he had to work there Striped Chip, for he had been there for a drinkwas and how to get to it He even offered to show the way, but Grandfather Frog said that he would rather go alone

”Watch out, Grandfather Frog, and don't fall in, because you ain,” warned Striped Chip looked up sharply to see if Striped Chip that he, who had lived in the water all his life, couldn't get out when he pleased! But Striped Chip sed the quick retort on the tip of his tongue, thanked Striped Chip, for he was very, very thirsty

Besides, he was very, very hot, and he hurried still faster as he thought of the cool bath he would have when he found that spring

XIX

GRANDFATHER FROG JUMPS INTO MORE TROUBLE

Some people are heedless and run into trouble So was both heedless and stupid and jumped into trouble When Striped Chip was, it seemed to hi had spent all his life in the Set a drink whenever he wanted it by just reaching over the edge of his big green lily-pad Whenever he was too wararum!” and dive head first into the cool water So he wasn't used to going a long ti was going as fast as ever he could in the direction Striped Chipmunk had pointed out Every three or four jumps he would stop for just a ee bit of rest, then off he would go again, ju one Peter Rabbit certainly would have been envious if he could have seen those long jurow darew Presently it becareat deal of soft, cool, wet 's poor tired feet!

”Must be I' to hi ht away he saw a little path froht past the very hu, and he noticed that where the ground was very soft and wet, old boards had been laid down That puzzled Grandfather Frog a great deal

”It's a sure enough path,” said he ”But what under the blue, blue sky does any one want to spoil it for by putting those boards there?”

You see, Grandfather Frog likes the soft wet mud, and he couldn't understand how any one, even Farmer Brown's boy, could prefer a hard dry path Of course he never had worn shoes himself, so he couldn't understand why any one should want dry feet when they could just as well have wet ones He was still puzzling over it when he heard a sound that made him nearly lose his balance and tumble off the hummock It was a whistle, the whistle of Farht away, because he often had heard it over by the S Lane Farmer Brown's boy had had his dinner and was on his way back to look for Grandfather Frog where he had been dropped

Grandfather Frog actually grinned as he thought how surprised Far to be when he could find no trace of hi's face That whistle was co Lane and was co for a drink at the spring, but Grandfather Frog didn't think of this He was sure that in soone and was co after hi huht past

Just a few steps beyond, he stopped and knelt down Peeping through the grass, Grandfather Frog saw him dip up beautiful clear water in an old cup and drink Then Grandfather Frog knew just where the spring was

A few ain, still whistling, on his way to the Long Lane Grandfather Frog waited only long enough to be sure that he had really gone Then, with bigger ju jumps, and he could see the water

Twoju with a splash!+

”Chugaruood the water feels!”

And all the tiht into more trouble