Part 7 (1/2)

”hello, Grandfather Frog!” they shouted, as they peeped into the spring

”How do you like your new ho ly eyes up at them, and they were full of tears

”Why--hy, Grandfather Frog, what is the aru, and his voice sounded all choky, ”I can't get out”

Then they noticed for the first ti were and how far down Grandfather Frog was, and they knew that he spoke the truth They tried bending down the grasses that grew around the edge of the spring, but none were long enough to reach the water If they had stopped to think, they would have known that Grandfather Frog couldn't have cli stick into the spring, but it was too heavy for thee to blow an old shi+ngle in, and this gave Grandfather Frog soan to feel a little better Then they said all the cos they could think of They told him that no harm could come to him there, unless Farmer Brown's boy should happen to see him

[Illustration: ”That's just what I'e 109_]

”That's just what I a ”He is sure to see me if he comes for a drink, for there is no place for me to hide”

”Perhaps he won't come,” said one of the Little Breezes hopefully

”If he does cole, and then he won't know you are here at all,” said another

Grandfather Frog brightened up ”That's so!” said he ”That's a good idea, and I'll try it”

Then one of the Merry Little Breezes promised to keep watch for Farmer Brown's boy, and all the others started off on another hunt for so out of this new trouble

XXII

GRANDFATHER FROG'S TROUBLES GROW

Head first in; no way out; It's best to knohat you're about!

Grandfather Frog had had plenty of time to realize how very true this is As he sat on the old shi+ngle which the Merry Little Breezes had blown into the spring where he was a prisoner, he thought a great deal about that little word ”if” _If_ he hadn't left the S Pool, _if_ he hadn't been stubborn and set in his ways, _if_ he hadn't been in such a hurry, _if_ he had looked to see where he was leaping--well, any one of these _ifs_ would have kept him out of his present trouble

It really wasn't so bad in the spring That is, it wouldn't have been so bad but for the fear that Farht co's one great fear, and it gave hirew cold all over at the very thought of being caught again by Farmer Brown's boy, and when at last one of the Merry Little Breezes hurried up to tell hi, poor old Grandfather Frog was so frightened that the Merry Little Breeze had to tell hile as it floated on the water

At last he got it through his head, and drawing a very long breath, he dived into the water and swale He was just in time Yes, Sir, he was just in ti else, he certainly would have noticed the little rings on the waterof so else, and it wasn't until he dipped a cup in for the second tile

”hello!” he exclaimed ”That must have blown in since I was here yesterday We can't have anything like that in our nice spring”

With that he reached out for the old shi+ngle, and Grandfather Frog, hiding under it, gave himself up for lost But the anxious Little Breeze had been watching sharply and the instant he sahat Far to do, he played the old, old trick of snatching his hat fro else to do Farrabbed at his hat, and then, because he was in a hurry and had other things to do, he started off without once thinking of the old shi+ngle again