he seized the string of pickerel and waddled
into the bushes, where he ate every one of those seven fish.

When Peter Mink met Timothy the next day he said he had not yet found
anybody who would write the letter to Farmer Green.

"Mr. Crow told me that if it was anybody but you he might be willing to
pull out one of his quills for a pen," Peter explained. "But he said
that he hoped Johnnie Green would come here every day to fish, until
there are no fish left for you."

Timothy Turtle sniffed.

"You go back," he directed Peter Mink, "and tell Mr. Crow that _I_ hope
Johnnie Green will come here _twice a day_ until he has caught every
fish in Black Creek."

Peter Mink thought that that was a queer thing for Timothy to wish.
Neither he nor old Mr. Crow could understand it.

XXII

THE UNWELCOME GUEST

Ferdinand Frog did not like Timothy Turtle. But he always said he
thought Mr. Turtle could be _trusted_.

"You can _depend_ on him," Mr. Frog often remarked. "Yes, you can depend
on him to grab you if he ever gets a chance."

And all the rest of the musical Frog family agreed with him.

It is not surprising, therefore, that they never invited Timothy Turtle
to attend their singing parties in Cedar Swamp. It made no difference
how much Timothy Turtle hinted. Though he frequently took pains to tell
Ferdinand Frog how fond he was of music, Mr. Frog never once asked him
to come to a concert.

In private Mr. Frog and his friends often spoke of Mr. Turtle--and
giggled. And one of the Frog family even made up a song about Timothy
Turtle, which the whole company loved to chant in Cedar Swamp, safe--as
they thought--from Timothy's snapping jaws.

But one fine summer's evening they had a great surprise. They had
scarcely begun their nightly concert when Timothy Turtle appeared, out
of the water and crawled upon an old stump, right in their midst.

"Good evening!" he cried. "I was just passing on my way home; and
hearing the singing, I thought I'd stop and enjoy it."

For a few moments none of the Frog family said a word. And then
Ferdinand Frog spoke up and asked Mr. Turtle a question:

"Have you had your dinner?"

"No, I haven't," Timothy answered. "But you needn't trouble yourselves
on my account. Go on with your singing. And if I feel faint no doubt I
can find a bite to eat hereabouts."

Now, Mr. Turtle hoped that his speech would put the singers quite at
their ease. But they looked at one another and r