eth, and each one took his
half home. Billie didn't like turnip, you see for he would rather have
chestnuts.

Now, I think I'll tell you next about Buddy Pigg playing ball--that is,
if our tea kettle sings a nice song for supper and makes the rag doll go
to sleep.

STORY IV

BUDDY PIGG PLAYS BALL

"Hello, Buddy!" called Sammie Littletail, the rabbit boy, to Buddy Pigg
one fine day, "come on out, and we'll have a game of ball," and Sammie
tossed his ball high up in the air and caught it in his catching glove,
as easily as you can eat two ice cream cones, a vanilla and a chocolate
one, on a hot day.

"Why, we two can't play ball alone," objected Buddy. "It needs three,
anyhow."

"Oh, well, we'll find Billie and Johnie Bushytail somewhere in the
woods," went on Sammie, "and maybe Jimmie Wibblewobble, the boy duck,
will come along, too. Then there is Jackie and Peetie Bow Wow, who have
come back from the country. Oh, we can get up a regular team."

"All right, I'll come," agreed Buddy. "Wait until I bring in some wood
for mother. She is going to bake some turnip pies to-day--out of the
turnip you and I and Billie Bushytail got yesterday--and she needs a hot
fire. I just love turnip pies; don't you, Sammie?"

[Illustration]

"Indeed I do, but I don't believe we are going to have any. Mother
stewed my half of the turnip."

"Never mind," advised Buddy Pigg, "I'll give you some of our pies when
they are baked," so he brought in two big armfuls of wood for the fire,
and then he and Sammie went off to play ball, leaving Brighteyes Pigg
home to help her mamma bake the pies, which the little guinea pig girl
loved to do.

Well, Buddy and Sammie hadn't gone very far before they met Billie and
Johnnie Bushytail, the boy squirrels, and they agreed to play ball.
Then, as the four of them went along a little farther, they met Jackie
and Peetie Bow Wow, out walking with Percival, the old circus dog. So
Peetie and Jackie said they would play ball, and that made six.

"Now, if we had two more we would have four on a side," suggested Buddy,
and, no sooner had he spoken than there was a noise in the bushes, and
out came Jimmie Wibblewobble, and Bully, the frog.

They were very glad to play ball, and soon there were two sides
selected. Buddy Pigg was captain of one side, and for players he had
Peetie Bow Wow, Billie Bushytail, and Bully, while Sammie Littletail was
the other captain, and he had Jackie Bow Wow, Johnnie