to grow thin now, and of course he was getting
hungry. He began to think about it, and the more he thought about it,
the hungrier he grew. One morning he stuck his head out of his
doorway, and whom should he see trotting along below but Jimmy Skunk.
Jimmy looked fat and comfortable and as if he did not mind the cold
weather at all.

"Good mo'ning, Jimmy Skunk," said Unc' Billy.

Jimmy Skunk looked up. "Hello, Unc' Billy!" he exclaimed. "I haven't
seen you for a long time!"

"Whar yo' been, Jimmy Skunk?" asked Unc' Billy.

Jimmy winked one eye. "Getting my breakfast of nice fresh eggs," he
replied.

Unc' Billy Possum's mouth began to water. "Did yo' leave any?" he
anxiously inquired.

Jimmy Skunk allowed that he did, and Unc' Billy gave a long sigh, as
he watched Jimmy Skunk amble off up the Lone Little Path. Unc' Billy
couldn't sleep any more now. No, Sir, he couldn't sleep a wink. All he
could do was to think how hungry he was. He would shut his eyes, and
then it seemed as if he could see right into Farmer Brown's hen-house,
and there were eggs, eggs, eggs, everywhere. Finally Unc' Billy made
up his mind.

"Ah'm going up there the very first dark night!" said he.

XIV

OLD MRS. POSSUM GROWS WORRIED

Old Mrs. Possum counted her babies to be sure that they all were
tucked snug and warm in their bed in the old hollow tree in the Green
Forest. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight." They were
all there. Mrs. Possum looked at them with a great deal of pride and
sighed as she thought of how soon they would be leaving the old hollow
tree to see the great world and make homes for themselves. Just as
soon as the beautiful spring came, they would one by one slip away.
Mrs. Possum sighed again. She didn't like winter. No, Sir, she didn't
like winter one bit. But when she thought of how her babies would
leave her, she almost wished that spring never would come.

Sure that her babies were warm and comfortable, old Mrs. Possum went
to the door and looked out. It was plain to be seen that Mrs. Possum
was worried. That was the tenth time she had looked out in half an
hour. Her sharp little old face looked sharper than ever. It always
looks sharper when she is worried, just as the tongues of some people
always grow sharper when they are worried.

"Ah don' see what can be keepin' mah ol' man! Ah'm plumb worried to
death," muttered old Mrs. Possum.

Right that very minute she heard a noise outside tha