that he felt as if he never, never would want
another drink of water. And his beautiful red coat, which old Mother
Fox had told him to be very, very careful of because he couldn't have
another for a whole year, was oh so wet! And his pants were wet and his
beautiful bushy tail, of which he was so proud, was so full of water
that he couldn't hold it up, but had to drag it up the bank after him as
he crawled out of the Dear Little Pool.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Mr. Kingfisher, sitting on a tree.

"Ho! Ho! Ho!" laughed old Mr. Frog, who had climbed back on his lily
pad.

"He! He! He!" laughed all the little Trouts and Mr. Trout and Mrs.
Trout, swimming round and round in the Dear Little Pool.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ho! Ho! Ho! He! He! He!" laughed Billy Mink, who had come
back to the Big Rock just in time to see Reddy Fox tumble in.

Reddy Fox didn't say a word, he was so ashamed. He just crept up the
Lone Little Path to his home, dragging his tail, all wet and muddy,
behind him, and dripping water all the way.

Johnny Chuck was still sitting by his door as his mother had told him
to. Reddy Fox tried to go past without being seen, but Johnny Chuck's
bright little eyes saw him.

"Where are your fish, Reddy Fox?" called Johnny Chuck.

"Why don't you turn somersaults, and jump over your shadow and chase
Butterflies and play with the little Field Mice, Reddy Fox?" called
Johnny Chuck.

But Reddy Fox just walked faster. When he got almost home he saw old
Mother Fox sitting in the doorway with a great big switch across her
lap, for Mother Fox had told Reddy Fox not to go near the Laughing
Brook.

And this is all I am going to tell you about how Reddy Fox went fishing.

CHAPTER VII JIMMY SKUNK LOOKS FOR BEETLES

Jimmy Skunk opened his eyes very early one morning and peeped out of
his snug little house on the hill. Big, round Mr. Sun, with a very red,
smiling face, had just begun to climb up into the sky. Old Mother West
Wind was just starting down to the Green Meadows with her big bag over
her shoulder. In that bag Jimmy Skunk knew she carried all her children,
the Merry Little Breezes, whom she was taking down to the Green Meadows
to play and frolic all day.

"Good morning, Mother West Wind," said Jimmy Skunk, politely. "Did you
see any beetles as you came down the hill?"

Old Mother West Wind said, no, she hadn't seen any beetles as she came
down the hill.

"Thank you," said Jimmy Skunk politely. "I guess I'll have