lled Longlegs, and tried to make his voice sound
pleasant, a difficult thing to do, because, you know, his voice is very
harsh and disagreeable. "The truth is, I haven't had a mouthful of
breakfast and to be hungry is apt to make me cross. Where did you say
Grandfather Frog is?"

"I didn't say," replied Little Joe, "but if you really want to know, he
is sitting on his big green lily-pad in the Smiling Pool fast asleep
right in plain sight."

"Thank you," said Longlegs. "I believe I have an errand up that way, now
I think of it. I believe I'll just go over and have a look at him. I
have never seen him asleep."

[Illustration: "Thank you," said Longlegs. "I believe I have an errand
up that way." _Page 10_.]

III

LONGLEGS VISITS THE SMILING POOL

Longlegs the Blue Heron watched Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter
disappear down the Laughing Brook. As long as they were in sight, he sat
without moving, his head drawn down between his shoulders just as if he
had nothing more important to think about than a morning nap. But if you
had been near enough to have seen his keen eyes, you would never have
suspected him of even thinking of a nap. Just as soon as he felt sure
that the two little brown-coated scamps were out of sight, he stretched
his long neck up until he was almost twice as tall as he had been a
minute before. He looked this way and that way to make sure that no
danger was near, spread his great wings, flapped heavily up into the
air, and then, with his head once more tucked back between his shoulders
and his long legs straight out behind him, he flew out over the Green
Meadows, and making a big circle, headed straight for the Smiling Pool.

All this time Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter had not been so far away
as Longlegs supposed. They had been hiding where they could watch him,
and the instant he spread his wings, they started back up the Laughing
Brook towards the Smiling Pool to see what would happen there. You see
they knew perfectly well that Longlegs was flying up to the Smiling Pool
in the hope that he could catch Grandfather Frog for his breakfast. They
didn't really mean that any harm should come to Grandfather Frog, but
they meant that he should have a great fright. You see, they were like a
great many other people, so heedless and thoughtless that they thought
it fun to frighten others.

"Of course we'll waken Grandfather Frog in time for him to get away with
nothing more than a great scar