e started for his favorite log. And what do you suppose he was
thinking about as he swam along? He was wishing that he knew what a trap
looked like, for despite his boasting he didn't even know what he was
to look out for. As he drew near his favorite log, something tickled his
nose. He stopped swimming to sniff and sniff. My, how good it did smell!
And it seemed to come right straight from the old log. Jerry began to
swim as fast as he could. In a few minutes he scrambled out on the
old log. Then Jerry rubbed his eyes three times to be sure that he saw
aright. There were luscious pieces of carrot lying right in front of
him.

Now there is nothing that Jerry Muskrat likes better than carrot. So
he didn't stop to wonder how it got there. He just reached out for the
nearest piece and ate it. Then he reached for the next piece and ate it.
Then he did a funny little dance just for joy. When he was quite out of
breath, he sat down to rest. Snap! Something had Jerry Muskrat by the
tail! Jerry squealed with fright and pain. Oh, how it did hurt! He
twisted and turned, but he was held fast and could not see what had him.
Then he pulled and pulled, until it seemed as if his tail would pull
off. But it didn't. So he kept pulling, and pretty soon the thing let go
so suddenly that Jerry tumbled head first into the water.

When he reached home, Mother Muskrat did his sore tail up for him. "What
did I tell you about traps?" she asked severely.

Jerry stopped crying. "Was that a trap?" he asked. Then he remembered
that in his fright he didn't even see it. "Oh, dear," he moaned, "I
wouldn't know one to-day if I met it."

CHAPTER II: The Convention At The Big Rock

Jolly round, red Mr. Sun looked down on the Smiling Pool. He almost
forgot to keep on climbing up in the blue sky, he was so interested in
what he saw there. What do you think it was? Why, it was a convention at
the Big Rock, the queerest convention he ever had seen. Your papa would
say that it was a mass-meeting of angry citizens. Maybe it was, but that
is a pretty long term. Anyway, Mother Muskrat said it was a convention,
and she ought to know, for she is the one who had called it.

Of course Jerry Muskrat was there, and his uncles and aunts and all
his cousins. Billy Mink was there, and all his relations, even old
Grandfather Mink, who has lost most of his teeth and is a little hard of
hearing.

Little Joe Otter was there, with his father and mother and all his