Since Benjamin was another night-prowler like himself, Kiddie Katydid
saw him often. It seemed to Kiddie that he could scarcely ever gaze at
the full moon without catching sight of Benjamin Bat's dusky shape
flitting jerkily across the great, round, yellow disk.

When Benjamin was astir in the neighborhood, Kiddie Katydid lay low--or
high--in his favorite tree-top. At least, he kept very still until the
night was nearly gone, to give Benjamin Bat plenty of time to satisfy
his hunger. For Kiddie found Benjamin Bat a much more agreeable
companion when he had eaten his fill. Early in the evening, soon after
he had waked up, Benjamin was positively ferocious. But the more he ate,
the pleasanter he grew. And by the time faint streaks of light began to
show in the east he could smile and crack a joke as easily as anybody
else.

Well, late one night--or early one morning--Kiddie Katydid and Benjamin
Bat were enjoying a chat in the tree-tops, when Benjamin put a new idea
into Kiddie's head.

"We ought to have some sports right here in Farmer Green's yard," he
suggested. "You're such a fine jumper that you could try your skill
against Mr. Frog. And you're such a fine flier that you and Freddie
Firefly ought to have a race.... I'd suggest--" he added--"I'd suggest
that the sports take place after dark, almost any evening."

But Kiddie Katydid spoke up quickly and said that he wouldn't care to
join in the fun until the night was almost gone. He said he was sure he
could jump and fly better at that time. And that was quite true, because
he knew that if Mr. Bat swallowed him early in the evening he wouldn't
be able to take any part in the sports.

"Very well, then!" Benjamin Bat replied. "But it will be the worst
possible time for me."

"What do you mean?" Kiddie Katydid inquired. "Do you expect to enter any
of the contests?"

"Oh, yes!" said Benjamin. "I'm going to hang by my heels from the limb
of a tree. And since I'm never so heavy early in the evening, before
I've had a chance to eat much, I'd prefer to have the sports begin soon
after dark."

But Kiddie Katydid said that there was no doubt Benjamin Bat would win
in the sport of hanging head downward by his heels. And he told Benjamin
not to worry.

XVI

A NOISY CROWD

When the night of the races and other sports finally came, a great crowd
began to gather about Farmer Green's place soon after dark. Although
Benjamin Bat had told people that the fun wa