king a li'l walk fo' the good of mah appetite," replied Unc'
Billy, grinning more broadly than ever. "What are yo' doing here, Brer
Skunk?"

"The same thing," replied Jimmy. Then he chuckled. "This is an
unexpected meeting. I guess you must have had the same thing on your
mind all day that I have," he added.

"Ah reckon so," replied Unc' Billy, and both grinned.

[Illustration]

XVI

A MATTER OF POLITENESS

It costs not much to be polite
And, furthermore, it's always right.

Unc' Billy Possum and Jimmy Skunk, facing each other among the Black
Shadows close by a hole that led under Farmer Brown's henhouse, chuckled
as each thought of what had brought the other there. It is queer how a
like thought often brings people together. Unc' Billy had the same
longing in his stomach that Jimmy Skunk had, and Jimmy Skunk had the
same thing on his mind that Unc' Billy had. More than this, it was the
second time that day that they had met. They had met in the morning in
the Green Forest and now they had met again among the Black Shadows of
the evening at Farmer Brown's henhouse. And it was all on account of
eggs. Yes, Sir, it was all on account of eggs.

"Are you just coming out, or are you just going in?" Jimmy inquired
politely.

"Ah was just going in, but Ah'll follow yo', Brer Skunk," replied Unc'
Billy just as politely.

"Nothing of the kind," returned Jimmy. "I wouldn't for a minute think of
going before you. I hope I know my manners better than that."

"Yo' cert'nly are most polite, Brer Skunk. Yo' cert'nly are most polite.
Yo' are a credit to your bringing up, but politeness always did run in
your family. There is a saying that han'some is as han'some does, and
your politeness is as fine as yo' are han'some, Brer Skunk. Ah'll just
step one side and let yo' go first just to show that Ah sho'ly does
appreciate your friendship," said Unc' Billy.

Jimmy Skunk chuckled. "I guess you've forgotten that other old saying,
'Age before beauty,' Unc' Billy," said he. "So you go first. You know
you are older than I. I couldn't think of being so impolite as to go
first. I really couldn't think of such a thing."

And so they argued and argued, each insisting in the most polite way
that the other should go first. If the truth were known, neither of them
was insisting out of politeness at all. No, Sir, politeness had nothing
to do with it Jimmy Skunk wanted Unc' Billy to go first because Jimmy
believes in safety