es!" answered Solomon Owl. "Come right along to my house and spend
the day with me!"

But Benjamin Bat did not like the suggestion at all.

"I'm afraid I might crowd, you," he said. He was thinking of the time when
Solomon Owl had chased him. And sleeping in Solomon Owl's house seemed far
from a safe thing to do.

[_Illustration 2_]

Benjamin Asked Solomon's Advice

Solomon was wise enough to guess what was going on inside Benjamin's head.

"Come along!" he said. "We'll both be asleep before we know it. I'm sorry
I can't offer you something to eat. But I haven't a morsel of food in my
house. No doubt, though, you've just had a good meal. _I_ ate seven mice
to-night. And I certainly couldn't eat anything more."

When Solomon Owl told him that, Benjamin Bat thought perhaps there was no
danger, after all. And since the rain was falling harder and harder every
moment, he thanked Solomon and said he would be glad to accent his
invitation.

"Follow me, then!" said Solomon Owl. And he led the way to his home in the
hemlock.

For once, Benjamin Bat flew in a fairly straight line, though he did a
little dodging, because he couldn't help it.

There was more room inside Solomon's house than Benjamin Bat had supposed.
While Benjamin was looking about and telling Solomon that he had a fine
home, his host quickly made a bed of leaves in one corner of the
room--there was only one room, of course.

"That's for you!" said Solomon Owl. "I always sleep on the other side of
the house." And without waiting even to make sure that his guest was
comfortable, Solomon Owl lay down and began to snore--for he was very
sleepy.

It was so cozy there that Benjamin Bat was glad, already, that he had
accepted Solomon's invitation.

XIII
THE LUCKY GUEST

In the middle of the day Solomon Owl happened to awake. He was sorry that
he hadn't slept until sunset, because he was very hungry. Knowing that it
was light outside his hollow tree, he didn't want to leave home to find
something to eat.

Then, suddenly, he remembered that he had brought Benjamin Bat to his
house early that morning, so Benjamin might escape the storm.... Why not
eat Benjamin Bat?

As soon as the thought occurred to him, Solomon Owl liked it. And he moved
stealthily over to the bed of leaves he had made for his guest just before
daybreak.

But Benjamin Bat was not there. Though Solomon looked in every noo