acks going away. Whoever made them must be right around
here now."

Back into the hen-house came Farmer Brown's boy and began to poke
around in all the corners. He moved all the boxes and looked in the
grain bin. Then he began to look in the nests. Unc' Billy could hear
him coming nearer and nearer. He was looking in the very next nest to
the one in which Unc' Billy was. Finally he looked into that very
nest. Unc' Billy Possum held his breath.

Now the nest in which Unc' Billy was hiding was on the topmost row in
the darkest corner of the hen-house, and Unc' Billy had crawled down
underneath the hay. Perhaps it was because that corner was so dark, or
perhaps it was because that nest was so high up, that Farmer Brown's
boy really didn't expect to find anything there. Anyway, all he saw
was the hay, and he didn't take the trouble to put his hand in and
feel for anything under the hay.

"It's queer," said Farmer Brown's boy. "It's very queer! I guess I
shall have to set some traps."

And all the time Unc' Billy Possum held his breath and lay low.

XVIII

UNC' BILLY POSSUM IS A PRISONER

"Mah home is in a holler tree--
It's a long way home!
Ah wish Ah's there, but here Ah be--
It's a long way home!
If Ah had only been content
Instead of out on mischief bent,
Ah'd have no reason to repent--
It's a long way home!"

Unc' Billy Possum lay curled up under the hay in the highest nest in
the darkest corner in Farmer Brown's hen-house. Unc' Billy didn't dare
go to sleep, because he was afraid that Farmer Brown's boy might find
him. And, anyway, he wanted to see just what Farmer Brown's boy was
doing. So peeping out, he watched Farmer Brown's boy, who seemed to
be very busy indeed. What do you think he was doing? Unc' Billy knew.
Yes, Sir, Unc' Billy knew just what Farmer Brown's boy was doing. He
was setting traps.

Unc' Billy's eyes twinkled as he watched Farmer Brown's boy, for Unc'
Billy knew that those traps were being set for him, and now that he
knew just where each one was, of course he wasn't a bit afraid. It
seemed to Unc' Billy that it was just the greatest kind of a joke to
be watching Farmer Brown's boy set those traps, while all the time
Farmer Brown's boy thought he was hiding them so cleverly that the
only way they would be found would be by some one stepping into one
and getting caught.

"There," said Farmer Brown's boy, as he set the last trap, "I'd li