e
little Joe Otter swam behind and pushed the big log. Across the Smiling
Pool they went and back again. Bobby Coon had such a good ride that he
wanted to go again, but Jimmy Skunk wanted a ride. So Bobby Coon hopped
off of the big log and Jimmy Skunk hopped on and away he went across the
Smiling Pool with little Joe Otter pushing behind.

Then Jerry Muskrat found another log and gave Peter Rabbit a ride. Jerry
Muskrat's brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and cousins found
logs and took Reddy Fox and Johnny Chuck and even Mr. Toad back and
forth across the Smiling Pool.

Happy Jack Squirrel sat up very straight on the end of his log and
spread his great bushy tail for a sail. All the little Breezes blew and
blew and Happy Jack Squirrel sailed round and round the Smiling Pool.

Sometimes someone would fall off into the water and get wet, but Jerry
Muskrat or Billy Mink always pulled them out again, and no one cared the
tiniest bit for a wetting.

In the bushes around the Smiling Pool the little birds sang and
sang. Reddy Fox barked his loudest. Happy Jack Squirrel chattered
and chir--r--r--ed. All the muskrats squealed and squeaked, for Jerry
Muskrat's party was such fun!

By and by when Mr. Sun went down behind the Purple Hills to his home and
Old Mother West Wind with all her Merry Little Breezes went after him,
and the little stars came out to twinkle and twinkle, the Smiling Pool
lay all quiet and still, but smiling and smiling to think what a good
time every one had had at Jerry Muskrat's party.

CHAPTER XII BOBBY COON AND REDDY FOX PLAY TRICKS

It was night. All the little stars were looking down and twinkling and
twinkling. Mother Moon was doing her best to make the Green Meadows as
light as Mr. Sun did in the daytime. All the little birds except Hooty
the Owl and Boomer the Night Hawk, and noisy Mr. Whip-poor-will were
fast asleep in their little nests. Old Mother West Wind's Merry Little
Breezes had all gone to sleep, too. It was oh so still! Indeed it was so
very still that Bobby Coon, coming down the Lone Little Path through the
wood, began to talk to himself.

"I don't see what people want to play all day and sleep all night for,"
said Bobby Coon. "Night's the best time to be about. Now Reddy Fox--"

"Be careful what you say about Reddy Fox," said a voice right behind
Bobby Coon.

Bobby Coon turned around very quickly indeed, for he had thought he was
all alone. There was Reddy Fox hims