a
minute's time making tracks for home as soon as they got out of sight.

But the Crow and the Turtle and the Robin didn't go because they were
all on good terms with Mr. Dog. Mrs. Quail didn't go either, though
before long most everybody else had gone. Then Mr. Crow said he guessed
poor Mr. Rabbit's friends had taken him home, and Mr. Dog said he was
sorry, and that it was too bad anything should happen that way when
folks were having such a good time. He said he'd call at Jack Rabbit's
house next day to see how he was and hear the rest of that poem. Then
Mr. Crow and Mr. Turtle laughed and laughed, and Mr. Dog didn't know
what they were laughing at, but he felt so well that he laughed too, and
Mr. Robin, who had found out by this time what a bad mistake he had
made, couldn't help laughing some himself.

[Illustration: MR. DOG MADE A SPEECH.]

Then they had dessert, and Mr. Dog made a speech and thanked them for
the fine party and surprise in his honor, and declared he had never
spent such a happy day in all his life. He said there had been a little
misunderstanding now and then between himself and some of the forest
folks, but he knew now that all was forgiven, and that he would never
forget this happy May party.

And Mr. Dog never did forget it, concluded the Story Teller--at least
not for a long time--and he doesn't know to this day that the party
wasn't given specially for him, or that Mr. Jack Rabbit's poem wasn't
written in his honor.

"You can sing the Hollow Tree Song, now," said the Little Lady,
drowsily.

[Illustration: THE THREE FRIENDS.]

So then the Story Teller sang the song that the forest people sing when,
on dark nights in the far depths of the Deep Woods, they are feasting at
the table of the 'Coon, the 'Possum and the Old Black Crow.

Long before he had finished, the Little Lady was in the land of dreams.

And the Story Teller had been dreaming, too, while he sang.

THE HOLLOW TREE SONG.

Oh, there was an old 'Possum in the Big Deep Woods--
As fat as a 'Possum could be--
And he lived in a hollow, hollow,
hollow, hollow, hollow,
He lived in a hollow tree.

Oh, there was an old Coon in the Big Deep Woods--
As sly as a 'Coon could be--
And he lived in a hollow, hollow,
hollow, hollow, hollow,
He lived in a hollow tree.

Oh, there was an old Crow in the Big Deep Woods--
As black as a C