.

But Benjamin Bat only said, "Oh! There was nothing to be afraid of." And
he began to feel quite important.

XIV
HANGING BY THE HEELS

It was several nights before Solomon Owl and Benjamin Bat chanced to meet
again in the forest.

"Hullo!" said Solomon.

"Hullo!" said Benjamin Bat. "I'm glad to see you, because I want to thank
you for letting me spend the day in your house, so I wouldn't have to stay
out in the storm."

"You must be a light sleeper," Solomon observed. (He did not tell Benjamin
that he was welcome!)

"What makes you think that?" Benjamin Bat inquired.

"Why--you left my house before noon," Solomon told him.

"Oh, no!" said Benjamin. "I slept soundly until sunset. When I came away
the crickets were chirping. And I was surprised that you hadn't waked up
yourself."

"You were gone before midday," Solomon Owl insisted. And they had
something very like a dispute, while Solomon Owl sat in one tree and
Benjamin Bat hung head downward from another. "I ought to know," said
Solomon. "I was awake about noon; and I looked everywhere for you."

"What for?" asked Benjamin.

Naturally, Solomon didn't like to tell him that he had intended to eat
him. So he looked wise--and said nothing.

"You didn't look on the ceiling, did you?" Benjamin Bat inquired.

"No, indeed!" Solomon Owl exclaimed.

"Well, that's where I was, hanging by my feet," Benjamin Bat informed him.

Solomon Owl certainly was surprised to hear that.

"The idea!" he cried. "You're a queer one! I never once thought of looking
_on the ceiling_ for a _luncheon_!" He was so astonished that he spoke
before he thought how oddly his remark would sound to another.

When he heard what Solomon Owl said, Benjamin Bat knew at once that
Solomon had meant to eat him. And he was so frightened that he dropped
from the limb to which he was clinging and flew off as fast as he could
go. For once in his life he flew in a straight line, with no zigzags at
all, he was in such a hurry to get away from Solomon Owl, who--for all he
knew--might still be very hungry.

But Solomon Owl had caught so many mice that night that he didn't feel
like chasing anybody. So he sat motionless in the tree, merely turning his
head to watch Benjamin sailing away through the dusky woods. He noticed
that Benjamin didn't dodge at all--except when there was a tree in his way.
And he wondered what the reason was.

"Perhaps he's not so crazy as I supposed," said Solo