was
under an old board, and then he began to understand. Of course there was
somebody hiding under that old board and jerking the string.

[Illustration: He seized the other end of the string and began to pull.
_Page 88._]

Striped Chipmunk sat down and scratched his head thoughtfully. Whoever
was pulling that string couldn't be very big, or they would never have
been able to crawl under that old board, therefore he needn't be afraid.
A gleam of mischief twinkled in Striped Chipmunk's eyes. He seized the
other end of the string and began to pull. Such a jerking and yanking as
began right away! But he held on and pulled harder. Then out from under
the old board appeared the queer webbed feet of Grandfather Frog tied
together. Striped Chipmunk was so surprised that he let go of the string
and nearly fell over backward.

"Why, Grandfather Frog, what under the sun are you doing here?" he
shouted.

When Striped Chipmunk let go of the string, Grandfather Frog promptly
drew his feet back under the old board, but when he heard Striped
Chipmunk's voice, he slowly and painfully crawled out. He told how he
had been caught and tied by Farmer Brown's boy and finally dropped near
the old board. He told how terribly frightened he was, and how sore his
legs were. Striped Chipmunk didn't wait for him to finish. In a flash he
was at work with his sharp teeth and had cut the cruel string before
Grandfather Frog had finished his story.

XVIII

GRANDFATHER FROG HURRIES AWAY

When Striped Chipmunk cut the string that bound the long legs of
Grandfather Frog together, Grandfather Frog was so relieved that he
hardly knew what to do. Of course he thanked Striped Chipmunk over and
over again. Striped Chipmunk said that it was nothing, just nothing at
all, and that he was very glad indeed to help Grandfather Frog.

"We folks who live out in the Great World have to help one another,"
said Striped Chipmunk, "because we never know when we may need help
ourselves. Now you take my advice, Grandfather Frog, and go back to the
Smiling Pool as fast as you can. The Great World is no place for an old
fellow like you, because you don't know how to take care of yourself."

Now when he said that, Striped Chipmunk made a great mistake. Old people
never like to be told that they are old or that they do not know all
there is to know. Grandfather Frog straightened up and tried to look
very dignified.

"Chugarum!" said he, "I'd have you to kno