nough to enjoy a pleasant
chat, they were sure to talk of the mysterious Mr. Frog and tell one
another what they thought of him. Many were the tales told about the
nimble fellow.

Some said that he had moved all the way from Farmer Green's duck pond,
because Johnnie Green had tried to catch him; while others declared that
Ferdinand Frog was a famous singer, who had come to that quiet spot in
order to rest his voice, which had become harsh from too much use.
Indeed, there were so many stories about the stranger that it was hard
to know which to believe--especially after old Mr. Crow informed
Brownie Beaver that in his opinion Ferdinand Frog was a slippery fellow.
"I shouldn't be surprised----" Mr. Crow had said with a wise wag of his
head----"I shouldn't be surprised if his real name was Ferdinand Fraud."

Anyhow, there was one thing that almost all the Beaver colony agreed
upon. They were of one opinion as to Mr. Frog's clothes, which they
thought must be very fashionable, because they were like no others that
had ever been seen before in those parts.

There was one young gentleman, however--the beau of the village--who
disputed everybody, saying that he believed that Ferdinand Frog must be
wearing old clothes that were many years behind the times.

Now, there was one lazy Beaver known as Tired Tim who had nothing better
to do than to go straight to Mr. Frog and repeat what he heard.

To Tired Tim's surprise--for he had expected Mr. Frog to lose his
temper--to his surprise that gentleman appeared much amused by the bit
of gossip. He shook with silent laughter for a time, quite as if he were
saving his voice to use that evening. And then he said:

"So your young friend thinks I'm not in style, eh? . . . Well, I'll tell
you something: he's right, in a way. And in another way he isn't. The
reason why I'm not in style is because I always aim to keep five years
ahead of everybody else.

"Five years from now and your neighbors will all be wearing clothes like
mine."

"Can't we ever catch up with you?" Tired Tim asked him.

"There's only one way you can do that," was Mr. Frog's mysterious
answer.

And he would say no more.

X

CATCHING UP WITH MR. FROG

Tired Tim Beaver asked Mr. Frog point-blank how a person might catch up
with him in the matter of clothes.

"If you manage to dress in a style that's five years ahead of the times,
I should like to know the way to be just as fashionable," Tired Tim
sa