n another, as if to make sure that he had some
legs left. Then slowly he rolled over and got on to his feet. Peter
breathed a sigh of relief.

IV

JIMMY SKUNK IS VERY MAD INDEED

When Jimmy Skunk is angry
Then every one watch out!
It's better far at such a time
To be nowhere about.

Jimmy Skunk was angry this time and no mistake. He was just plain _mad_,
and when Jimmy Skunk feels that way, no one wants to be very near him.
You know he is one of the very best-natured little fellows in the world
ordinarily. He minds his own business, and if no one interferes with
him, he interferes with no one. But once he is aroused and feels that he
hasn't been treated fairly, look out for him!

And this time Jimmy was mad clear through, as he got to his feet and
shook himself to see that he was all there. I don't know that any one
could blame him. To be wakened from a comfortable nap by being rolled
over and over and shaken nearly to death as Jimmy had been by that wild
ride down the hill in the old barrel was enough to make any one mad. So
he really is not to be blamed for feeling as he did.

Now Jimmy can never be accused of being stupid. He knew that an old
barrel which has been lying in one place for a long time doesn't move of
its own accord. He knew that that barrel couldn't possibly have started
off down the hill unless some one had made it start, and he didn't have
a doubt in the world that whoever had done it, had known that he was
inside and had done it to make him uncomfortable. So just as soon as he
had made sure that he was really alive and quite whole, he looked about
to see who could have played such a trick on him.

The first person he saw was Reddy Fox. In fact, Reddy was right close at
hand. You see, he had raced down the hill after the barrel to see who
was in it when he heard the strange noises coming from it as it rolled
and bounded down. If Reddy had known that it was Jimmy Skunk, he would
have been quite content to remain at the top of the hill. But he didn't
know, and if the truth be known, he had hopes that it might prove to be
some one who would furnish him with a good breakfast. So, quite out of
breath with running, Reddy arrived at the place where the old barrel had
broken to pieces just as Jimmy got to his feet.

Now when Jimmy Skunk is angry, he doesn't bite and he doesn't scratch.
You know Old Mother Nature has provided him with a little bag of perfume
which Jimmy doesn't objec