, you understand, but that you had less standundering, so
to speak. Do you understand that?"

The Hoppers thought it over carefully. Then one said:

"That is clear enough; but where does the joke come in?"

Dorothy laughed, for she couldn't help it, although all the others were
solemn enough.

"I'll tell you where the joke comes in," she said, and took the Hoppers
away to a distance, where the Horners could not hear them. "You know,"
she then explained, "those neighbors of yours are not very bright, poor
things, and what they think is a joke isn't a joke at all--it's true,
don't you see?"

"True that we have less understanding?" asked the Champion.

"Yes; it's true because you don't understand such a poor joke; if you
did, you'd be no wiser than they are."

"Ah, yes; of course," they answered, looking very wise.

"So I'll tell you what to do," continued Dorothy. "Laugh at their poor
joke and tell 'em it's pretty good for a Horner. Then they won't dare
say you have less understanding, because you understand as much as they
do."

The Hoppers looked at one another questioningly and blinked their eyes
and tried to think what it all meant; but they couldn't figure it out.

"What do you think, Champion?" asked one of them.

"I think it is dangerous to think of this thing any more than we can
help," he replied. "Let us do as this girl says and laugh with the
Horners, so as to make them believe we see the joke. Then there will be
peace again and no need to fight."

They readily agreed to this and returned to the fence laughing as loud
and as hard as they could, although they didn't feel like laughing a
bit. The Horners were much surprised.

"That's a fine joke--for a Horner--and we are much pleased with it,"
said the Champion, speaking between the pickets. "But please don't do it
again."

"I won't," promised Diksey. "If I think of another such joke I'll try to
forget it."

"Good!" cried the Chief Horner. "The war is over and peace is declared."

There was much joyful shouting on both sides the fence and the gate was
unlocked and thrown wide open, so that Scraps was able to rejoin her
friends.

"What about the Scarecrow?" she asked Dorothy.

"We must get him down, somehow or other," was the reply.

"Perhaps the Horners can find a way," suggested Ojo. So they all went
through the gate and Dorothy asked the Chief Horner how they could get
the Scarecrow off the fence. The Chief didn't know how, but Diksey sa