to go look
myself, for I'm very, very hungry."

So Jimmy Skunk brushed his handsome black and white coat, and washed
his face and hands, and started out to try to find some beetles for his
breakfast. First he went down to the Green Meadows and stopped at Johnny
Chuck's house. But Johnny Chuck was still in bed and fast asleep. Then
Jimmy Skunk went over to see if Reddy Fox would go with him to help find
some beetles for his breakfast. But Reddy Fox had been out very, very
late the night before and was still in bed fast asleep, too.

So Jimmy Skunk set out all alone along the Crooked Little Path up the
hill to find some beetles for his breakfast. He walked very slowly, for
Jimmy Skunk never hurries. He stopped and peeped under every old log to
see if there were any beetles. By and by he came to a big piece of bark
beside the Crooked Little Path. Jimmy Skunk took hold of the piece of
bark with his two little black paws and pulled and pulled. All of a
sudden, the big piece of bark turned over so quickly that Jimmy Skunk
fell flat on his back.

When Jimmy Skunk had rolled over onto his feet again, there sat old Mr.
Toad right in the path, and old Mr. Toad was very, very cross indeed. He
swelled and he puffed and he puffed and he swelled, till he was twice as
big as Jimmy Skunk had ever seen him before.

"Good morning, Mr. Toad," said Jimmy Skunk. "Have you seen any beetles?"

But Mr. Toad blinked his great round goggly eyes and he said: "What do
you mean, Jimmy Skunk, by pulling the roof off my house?"

"Is that the roof of your house?" asked Jimmy Skunk politely. "I won't
do it again."

Then Jimmy Skunk stepped right over old Mr. Toad, and went on up the
Crooked Little Path to look for some beetles.

By and by he came to an old stump of a tree which was hollow and had the
nicest little round hole in one side. Jimmy Skunk took hold of one edge
with his two little black paws and pulled and pulled. All of a sudden
the whole side of the old stump tore open and Jimmy Skunk fell flat on
his back.

When Jimmy Skunk had rolled over onto his feet again there was Striped
Chipmunk hopping up and down right in the middle of the path, he was so
angry.

"Good morning, Striped Chipmunk," said Jimmy Skunk. "Have you seen any
beetles?"

But Striped Chipmunk hopped faster than ever and he said: "What do you
mean, Jimmy Skunk, by pulling the side off my house?"

"Is that the side of your house?" asked Jimmy Skunk, politely. "I