houted Little Joe
Otter, turning a somersault in the water.

Every one agreed with Little Joe Otter, and immediately they began to
plan a grand hunt for the traps of Farmer Brown's boy. The Muskrats
and the Otters started to search the banks of the Smiling Pool, and
the Coons and the Minks, all but Billy, started for the Laughing Brook.
Billy climbed up on the Big Rock to watch, and Grandfather Frog slowly
swam back to his big green lily-pad to wait for some foolish green flies
for his breakfast.

CHAPTER V: A Busy Day At The Smiling Pool

Everybody was excited. Yes, Sir, everybody in the Smiling Pool and along
the Laughing Brook was just bubbling over with excitement. Even Spotty
the Turtle, who usually takes everything so calmly that some people
think him stupid, climbed up on the highest point of an old log where he
could see what was going on. Only Grandfather Frog, sitting on his big
green lily-pad and watching for foolish green flies for his breakfast,
appeared not to know that something unusual was going on. Really, he
was just as much excited as the rest, but because he is very old and
accounted very, very wise, it would not do for him to show it.

What was it all about? Why, all the Minks and the Coons and the Otters
and the Muskrats, who live and play around the Smiling Pool and the
Laughing Brook, were hunting for traps. Yes, Sir, they were hunting for
traps set by Farmer Brown's boy, just as Grandfather Frog had advised
them to.

Jerry Muskrat and Little Joe Otter were hunting together. They were
swimming along close to shore just where the Laughing Brook leaves the
Smiling Pool, when Jerry wrinkled up his funny little nose and stopped
swimming. Sniff, sniff, sniff, went Jerry Muskrat. Then little cold
shivers ran down his backbone and way out to the tip of his tail.

"What is it?" asked Little Joe Otter.

"It's the man-smell," whispered Jerry.

Just then Little Joe Otter gave a long sniff. "My, I smell fish!" he
cried, his eyes sparkling, and started in the direction from which the
smell came. He swam faster than Jerry, and in a minute he shouted in
delight.

"Hi, Jerry! Some one's left a fish on the edge of the bank: What a
feast!"

Jerry hurried as fast as he could swim, his eyes popping out with
fright, for the nearer he got, the stronger grew that dreadful
man-smell. "Don't touch it," he panted. "Don't touch it, Joe Otter!"

Little Joe laughed. "What's the matter, Jerry? 'Fraid I'll ea