etimes Mr. 'Coon would look
out to see if the Crow and the 'Possum hadn't started. Once they all saw
each other, and jumped back like a flash.

[Illustration: GOT UP SOFTLY AND DRESSED.]

That night Mr. 'Possum decided that he couldn't stand it any longer. He
was so thin that his skin hung on him like a bag, and he hardly had
strength enough to curl his tail. So he made a plan to slip through the
parlor down stairs, and out the door at the bottom of the tree to find a
good supper just for himself. A little after dark, when he thought the
others were asleep, he got up softly and dressed himself and took his
shoes in his hand.

He was afraid to put them on, for fear he would wake up the Crow and the
'Coon going down stairs.

Well, he slipped down softly, and was just about half way to the door
when--biff! he ran right against something in the dark----

"But I thought you said once 'possums could see in the dark?"
interrupted the Little Lady, sitting up straight.

They can in just common dark, but this, you see, was hollow tree dark,
which is the very darkest dark there is. So he couldn't see a wink, and
down he came and down came the other thing, too, till pretty soon--biff!
they struck something else, and down all three things came over and
over, rattlety-clatter, to the bottom of the stairs, right on out of the
door into the moonlight, and what do you suppose was there besides Mr.
'Possum?

"I know," said the Little Lady, eagerly. "The 'Coon and the Old Black
Crow?"

[Illustration: LOOKING FOOLISH AND HALF STARVED.]

Exactly. Both of them dressed and looking foolish and half starved, and
each with his shoes in his hand. They had all slipped down softly to get
something to eat, because they were so hungry, and, of course, when they
looked at each other standing there they all knew very well that none of
them had been sick, except Mr. 'Coon a little right at first.

After they had looked at each other for about a minute they all began to
laugh, and they laughed and laughed till they cried, and rolled on the
ground and kept on laughing to think how they all had fooled each other
and been fooled themselves. Then they all hurried off on a big hunt for
game, and didn't get back till sunrise.

SOME NEW ACQUAINTANCES

THE LITTLE LADY IS INTRODUCED TO MR. JACK RABBIT DURING A VERY EXCITING
EXPERIENCE WITH MR. DOG. THE FIRST ADVENTURE OF JACK RABBIT

[Illustration: HE STOPPED AND TALKED TO MR. ROBIN.]

O