huckling to himself. Things happened just as he had expected. The
frightened fish Little Joe chased out of the little pools up above swam
down the Laughing Brook, because, you know, Little Joe was behind them,
and there was nowhere else for them to go. When they came to the place
where Buster was waiting, all he had to do was to scoop them out on to
the bank. It was great fun. It didn't take Buster long to catch all the
fish he could eat. Then he saved a nice fat trout and waited.

By and by along came Little Joe Otter, chuckling to think how he had
spoiled Buster Bear's fishing. He was so intent on looking behind him to
see if Buster was coming that he didn't see Buster waiting there until
he spoke.

"I'm much obliged for the fine breakfast you have given me," said Buster
in his deepest, most grumbly-rumbly voice. "I've saved a fat trout for
you to make up for the one I ate yesterday. I hope we'll go fishing
together often."

Then he went off laughing fit to kill himself. Little Joe couldn't find
a word to say. He was so surprised and angry that he went off by himself
and sulked. And Billy Mink, who had been watching, ate the fat trout.

V

GRANDFATHER FROG'S COMMON-SENSE

There is nothing quite like common sense to smooth out troubles. People
who have plenty of just plain common sense are often thought to be very
wise. Their neighbors look up to them and are forever running to them
for advice, and they are very much respected. That is the way with
Grandfather Frog. He is very old and very wise. Anyway, that is what his
neighbors think. The truth is, he simply has a lot of common sense,
which after all is the very best kind of wisdom.

Now when Little Joe Otter found that Buster Bear had been too smart for
him and that instead of spoiling Buster's fishing in the Laughing Brook
he had really made it easier for Buster to catch all the fish he wanted,
Little Joe went off down to the Smiling Pool in a great rage.

Billy Mink stopped long enough to eat the fat fish Buster had left on
the bank and then he too went down to the Smiling Pool.

When Little Joe Otter and Billy Mink reached the Smiling Pool, they
climbed up on the Big Rock, and there Little Joe sulked and sulked,
until finally Grandfather Frog asked what the matter was. Little Joe
wouldn't tell, but Billy Mink told the whole story. When he told how
Buster had been too smart for Little Joe, it tickled him so that Billy
had to laugh in spite of him