gether sometimes in their parlor and talk."

Why, yes, of course. The Story Teller did know this colony, and
hurriedly tried to recall some one of their many adventures. Out of the
mists of that long ago time when all animals and men spoke one language
and mingled more or less sociably together came presently a dim memory
that cleared and brightened as it came, and took form at last in
something which the Story Teller told to the Little Lady as

MR. 'COON'S BAD COLD.

[Illustration: THE 'COON CAUGHT A BAD COLD.]

[Illustration: COUGHED AND TOOK ON.]

One day, early in March and during a long wet spell, the 'Coon caught a
bad cold. The next morning he stayed in bed, and pulled up the covers
and was cross and too sick to go out. This made extra work for the Crow
and the 'Possum, who, of course, had to bring him in his meals and
take care of him, and Mr. 'Coon, who found how nice it was to be
waited on, thought he would take his own time about getting well. He was
sick so long that by and by it set Mr. Crow to thinking, and one day,
all of a sudden, he was taken ill, too, and coughed and took on, and
called across to the others that he was sick and couldn't come out,
either.

This made still more work for the 'Possum, who now had to catch game for
three, besides waiting on sick folks and taking care of their houses. So
by and by Mr. 'Possum got to thinking some, as well as the others, and
one morning, while the Crow and the 'Coon were lying all snug in bed and
laughing to themselves at the trick they were playing, and thinking of
the nice breakfast they were to have, they heard all at once the 'Possum
calling out that hard work and exposure had been too much for him, and
that he was sicker now than both of them put together.

Of course they had to call back to him that they were sorry, and of
course they were sorry in one way, and then each of them lay down to see
which would be the first to starve out.

Mr. 'Possum had a little the best of it at first, because he had brought
in enough the night before to last him for a few meals, but, being very
greedy, he soon ate it all up, and before long was just as hungry as
either the 'Coon or the Crow, and maybe hungrier.

Every day they all grew emptier and emptier. Sometimes Mr. Crow would
get up and slip to the door to see if the 'Possum or the 'Coon was not
starting out for food. Sometimes Mr. 'Possum would peep out to see if
the 'Coon and the Crow were not going. Som