cornstalk.

"Where are we going?" asked Billie, sort of hopeful-like and expectant.

"I'm going to the top store to buy a spinning top," answered bunny
uncle. "If you think I ought to have one, why I'll get it."

"Oh, all right," said Billie, sort of funny-like. "Do you know how to
spin a top, Uncle Wiggily?"

"Well, I used to when I was a young rabbit, and I guess I can remember
a little about it. Come along and help me pick out a nice one."

So the bunny uncle and the squirrel boy went on and on through the
woods to the top store kept by Mrs. Spin Spider, who had a little toy
shop in which she worked when she was not spinning silk for the animal
ladies' dresses.

"One of your best tops for myself, if you please," said Uncle Wiggily,
as he and Billie went into the toy store. Mrs. Spin Spider put a
number of tops on the counter.

"That's the kind you want!" cried Billie, as he saw a big red one, and
pointed his paw at it.

"Try it and see how it spins," said the bunny man.

Billie wound the string on the top, and then, giving it a throw, while
he kept hold of one end of the cord, he made the top spin as fast as
anything on the floor of the store. Around and around whizzed the red
top, like the electric fan on Uncle Wiggily's airship.

"Is that a good top for me, Billie?" asked Mr. Longears.

"A very good top," said the squirrel boy. "Fine!"

"Then I'll take it," said Uncle Wiggily, and he paid for it and walked
out, Billie following.

If the little chattery squirrel chap was disappointed at not getting a
top for himself, he said nothing about it, which was very brave and
good, I think. He just walked along until they came to a nice,
smooth-dirt place in the woods, and then Uncle Wiggily said:

"Let me see you spin my top, Billie. I want to watch you and see how
it's done--how you wind the string on, how you throw it down to the
ground and all that. You just give me some lessons in top-spinning,
please."

"I will," said Billie. So he wound the string on the top again and
soon it was spinning as fast as anything on the hard ground in the
woods.

"Do you want me to show you how to pick up a top, and let it spin on
your paw?" asked Billie, of Uncle Wiggily.

"Yes, show me all the tricks there are," said the bunny gentleman.

So, while the top was spinning very fast, Billie picked it up, and,
holding it on his paw, quickly put it over on Uncle Wiggily's paw.

"Ouch! It tickles!" cried the