poke about the trouble Mr. Foxy Fox had caused us
members of the club, and announced that the long-tailed villain was
dead, too, with his skin, most likely, nailed up on Mr. Man's barn
that very minute.

"Never a word did Mr. Crow say about what I'd done toward fixing Foxy
so he couldn't do any more mischief, and try as I might, I couldn't
get in a word edgewise in the way of explaining that if it hadn't been
for me Mr. Man's boy Tommy's dog Towser wouldn't have had a chance to
get the best of Mr. Foxy Fox.

"All hands of us were pretty well tired out before Mr. Crow got right
down to the business of the meeting, and I was seriously thinking of
hopping off home without waiting to hear why we had been called
together, when he came to the point.

"'There's no more influential club in the big woods than the Fur and
Feather Association,' he said, speaking in a dreadfully hoarse voice
because of having talked so long that his throat was dry. 'It is time
we took an active part in outside affairs, else we may expect to lose
many a night's sleep by such a rumpus as was kicked up last night.'

"'What do you count on doing about it?' Mr. Blue Jay, who had come in
late, asked with a laugh. 'If Mr. Weasel meets 'Squire Owl when he's
out on one of his killings, how can we stop him from murdering the
pompous old bird who has done some harm to nearly every one of us?
And if Mr. Man's boy Tommy's dog Towser comes across Mr. Foxy Fox when
he's up to mischief, how can we lend a hand, even if we want to? It
seems to me that last night's work was a good thing for us members of
the Fur and Feathers, and we're the last who should be mourning over
it.'

"Mr. Crow looked at Mr. Jay savagely; but it takes more than a hard
look to disturb that blue-coated fellow, and instead of being
frightened, he actually laughed in the president's face.

"'We haven't come together to mourn because the 'Squire and Mr. Foxy
Fox got themselves killed,' Mr. Crow said, ruffling up his feathers
till he looked a good deal like Mr. Porcupine. 'Our duty is to take
such measures as will prevent people like Mr. Weasel and Mr. Man's boy
Tommy's dog Towser from disturbing the peace. This part of the big
woods belongs by rights to this club, and we must take such steps as
will prevent evilly disposed people from jumping down on those of us
who mind our own business without working harm to any one else.'

"Now do you know that seemed to sound very comical to Mr. Jay