dfather Mole assured her. "To be sure, I
was alarmed. And when you said he wouldn't mind I was sure it was Moses.
"Children," said Grandfather Mole, "are not brought up as strictly as
they were when I was young."
XXII
TWO FAMOUS DIGGERS
BILLY WOODCHUCK had decided to move into new quarters before cold
weather set in. Old dog Spot had learned where he lived; and to Billy's
dismay Spot was spending altogether too much of his time watching
Billy's front door.
There was only one reason why Billy Woodchuck didn't exactly care to dig
a new home for himself in the pasture just then. The fall crop of clover
was about to head out. And being very fond of clover blossoms, Billy
hated to spend his time digging.
He was telling his troubles one day to old Mr. Crow. And as usual, Mr.
Crow had an idea.
"Why don't you get somebody to help you?" he asked.
Billy Woodchuck looked a bit doubtful.
"Who is there?" he inquired. "Nobody would be willing to dig for me
unless I paid him."
"Well--if I were you I'd offer a modest wage," Mr. Crow suggested.
But Billy Woodchuck shook his head.
"I couldn't pay anybody anything--unless it was clover-tops," he
explained. "And why should any one dig for them when there are thousands
to be had for the taking?"
Mr. Crow agreed that Billy Woodchuck knew what he was talking about.
"But," said Mr. Crow, "I've usually found that there's a way out of
every difficulty. What you must do is to find somebody that _likes_ to
dig--somebody that is so crazy to dig that he'd help you just for the
fun of the thing."
Billy Woodchuck looked still more doubtful.
"Who is there?" he asked once more.
Meanwhile Mr. Crow had been thinking rapidly--for he was a quick-witted
old scamp.
"I'll tell you!" he cried. "There's Grandfather Mole!"
Although Billy Woodchuck brightened considerably--for Mr. Crow's ideas
made him more hopeful--he observed that he didn't know Grandfather Mole.
"I've heard of him, however," Billy told Mr. Crow. "He lives in Farmer
Green's garden. But you know I never go there. I stick to the fields. I
don't like to get too far from home."
"For once, then," said old Mr. Crow, "I should break my rule--if I were
you--and visit the garden. Find Grandfather Mole and have a talk with
him!"
So Billy Woodchuck decided that he would take Mr. Crow's advice. And
though he hated to leave the clover-patch he set out that very afternoon
to find Grandfather Mole and a
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