ed the tree would hurry up and drop, so we could
have what muss we were going to, and get it over with. I'd have got out
of that old nest and made a jump for another tree if there had been any
near enough, but there wasn't, so I just laid low and gritted my teeth
and let him chop.

"Well, by and by the tree began to go down. It seemed to teeter a little
at first, this way and that; then it went very slow in one direction;
then it went a little faster; then it went a good deal faster; then I
suddenly felt like a shooting-star, I came down so fast, and there was a
big crash, and I thought I had turned into a lot of stars, sure enough,
and was shooting in every direction, and the next I knew I was tied to a
tree hand and foot and around the middle, and Mr. Man and Mr. Dog were
sitting and looking at me, and grinning, and talking about what they
were going to do.

"Mr. Man wasn't scolding Mr. Dog any more. He was telling him what a
good thing it was they had caught me alive, for now they could sell me
to a show and get a great deal more for me than they could for my skin.
I didn't know what a show was, then, or about menageries, but I know
now, and I can see just what they meant.

[Illustration: "THEN I SUDDENLY FELT LIKE A SHOOTING-STAR"]

"Pretty soon Mr. Man told Mr. Dog to stay there and watch me while he
went home after a box to put me in. He said he didn't think it would be
safe to carry me in his arms, and he was right about that.

"So then Mr. Man walked off, and left Mr. Dog guarding me and saying
unpleasant things to me now and then.

"At first I wouldn't answer him; but pretty soon I happened to think of
something pleasant to say.

"'Mr. Dog,' I said, 'I know a good story, if you'd like me to tell it.
Mr. Man may be a good while getting that box, and mebbe you'd like to
hear something to pass the time.'

"Mr. Dog said he would. He said that Mr. Man would most likely have to
make the box, and he didn't suppose he knew where the hammer and nails
were, and it might be dark before Mr. Man got back.

"I felt a good deal better when I heard Mr. Dog say that, and I told
him a story I knew about how Mr. Rabbit lost his tail, and Mr. Dog
laughed and seemed to like it, and said, 'Tell me another.'"

Before Mr. 'Coon could go on with his story, Mr. Rabbit said that of
course if that old tale had helped Mr. 'Coon out of trouble he was very
glad, but that it wasn't at all true, and that some time _he_ would tell
t