plan. I'd go along if I had time. I
know the way well. You just keep on till you come to that creek yonder,
then cross and turn to the right, and after that any one can show you
the way."

So away went the Hollow Tree people, and when they got to the creek, and
crossed, and turned to the right, there was the bluebird again, hopping
and whistling and dancing on ahead, just in the direction that Mr. Wolf
had said to go. Then, pretty soon, Mr. 'Possum said he was hungry, so
they sat down on some moss and ate their lunch, and Mr. Bluebird came up
close and sang to them till Mr. 'Possum went to sleep in the sun and
took a little nap, while the 'Coon and the Crow put what was left back
into the basket and got ready to go. Then Mr. 'Possum woke up and said
he was sure they must be nearly around the world, for he'd just had a
dream about catching a chicken with four legs and two heads, and he knew
that must mean something good. So then they went on and the bluebird
went ahead, until they came to a fine, big cave, where Mr. Bear lived.

[Illustration]

Now Mr. Bear is very big and wise--at least he thinks he is--and he knew
right away that Mr. Dog was just playing a joke on them, or at least he
thought he did, so he said:--"Well, well! I supposed you fellows knew
all that long ago. You don't mean to say, do you, that this is really
your first time round? Why, I go round the world every spring and fall,
and buy most of my things on the other side. You just follow this path
till you come to a big black rock, and then turn to the right and keep
straight ahead. You can't miss the way."

Then Mr. Bear went back in his cave, and laid down and rolled over and
laughed to think what a big joke everybody was playing on the Hollow
Tree people. But the Hollow Tree people kept right on, for they saw Mr.
Bluebird still whistling and dancing on ahead; and by-and-by they came
to the big black rock that Mr. Bear had mentioned, and turned to the
right again as he had told them, to do. Then they walked and walked, and
Mr. Bluebird hopped and skipped and whistled, until at last, just as
they were all getting very tired and it was most night, they came to a
big hollow tree in a deep woods; and Mr. 'Possum looked up and says,

"Why," he says, "this tree looks a good deal like our tree!"

And Mr. 'Coon he says, "Why, it's just like our tree!"

[Illustration: AND MR. CROW, HE SAYS, "WHY, IT _IS_ OUR TREE!"]

And Mr. Crow, he says, "Why, it is o