ed
them for a few minutes. She felt that she would like to join them. Always
the springtime made her feel this way,--young, mad, carefree, and happy.
But she had work to do. She had to turn the windmill to pump water for
Farmer Brown's cows, and this was only one of many mills standing idle as
they waited for her. So she puffed her cheeks out and started about her
business.

Jimmy Skunk sat at the top of the hill that overlooks the Green Meadows and
watched her out of sight. Then he started to amble down the Lone Little
Path to look for some beetles. He was ambling along in his lazy way, for
you know he never hurries, when he heard some one puffing and blowing
behind him. Of course he turned to see who it was, and he was greatly
surprised when he discovered Old Mr. Toad. Yes, Sir, it was Old Mr. Toad,
and he seemed in a great hurry. He was quite short of breath, but he was
hopping along in the most determined way as if he were in a great hurry to
get somewhere.

Now it is a very unusual thing for Mr. Toad to hurry, very unusual indeed.
As a rule he hops a few steps and then sits down to think it over. Jimmy
had never before seen him hop more than a few steps unless he was trying to
get away from danger, from Mr. Blacksnake for instance. Of course the first
thing Jimmy thought of was Mr. Blacksnake, and he looked for him. But there
was no sign of Mr. Blacksnake nor of any other danger. Then he looked very
hard at Old Mr. Toad, and he saw right away that Old Mr. Toad didn't seem
to be frightened at all, only very determined, and as if he had something
important on his mind.

"Well, well," exclaimed Jimmy Skunk, "whatever has got into those long hind
legs of yours to make them work so fast?"

Old Mr. Toad didn't say a word, but simply tried to get past Jimmy and keep
on his way. Jimmy put out one hand and turned Old Mr. Toad right over on
his back, where he kicked and struggled in an effort to get on his feet
again, and looked very ridiculous.

"Don't you know that it isn't polite not to speak when you are spoken to?"
demanded Jimmy severely, though his eyes twinkled.

"I--I beg your pardon. I didn't have any breath to spare," panted Old Mr.
Toad. "You see I'm in a great hurry."

"Yes, I see," replied Jimmy. "But don't you know that it isn't good for the
health to hurry so? Now, pray, what are you in such a hurry for? I don't
see anything to run away from."

"I'm not running away," retorted Old Mr. Toad indignantl