Fatty Coon hurried into the
building through a hole in the floor which nobody knew but himself.

Though he was a great eater Fatty was also a fast one. And now he bolted
a huge meal of corn in only a few minutes. Then, smiling broadly, he
left the corncrib by his private doorway and squatted down to await
Grumpy's return.

In a little while Grumpy appeared.

"I hoped I'd see you again," Fatty Coon told him. "Did you have any
luck?"

"No!" Grumpy Weasel snapped. "I was mistaken about your idea. It was a
very poor one. For I've been running in a circle (as you suggested) till
I'm dizzy; and I haven't seen the least sign of a mouse nor a squirrel."

Fatty Coon told him to cheer up.

"I've another idea for you," he said.

"Keep it! Keep it!" Grumpy Weasel hissed. "Your last idea only made me
tired; and I haven't a capture to my credit to-night."

"That's because you ran too fast," Fatty explained glibly. "Now, if
you'll be careful to run slowly, and do just as I tell you, I can
promise that there'll be a capture, without fail."

[Illustration: Grumpy Weasel Visits the Corncrib. (_Page 70_)]

Grumpy had had such bad luck in his hunting about the farmyard that he
decided to listen, anyhow. He told himself that he wouldn't take
Fatty's advice unless it was much better than he expected.

"Well--go on!" he grunted.

"Do you see that little house near the woodshed?" Fatty Coon asked him.
"It has a low doorway that's always open, and no windows at all."

"Yes!" said Grumpy Weasel harshly. "Of course I see it. I'm not blind."

"Do you know who lives there?"

"I always supposed that it belonged to Johnnie Green," said Grumpy. "His
father is big and lives in the big house, and Johnnie is little and
lives in the little house."

Fatty Coon laughed merrily.

"You don't know as much as I thought you did!" he cried. It may be that
Fatty had set out to make Grumpy angry. Anyhow, Grumpy's eyes burned in
the darkness like two coals of fire.

"I'm right about that little house," he wrangled.

"Nonsense!" Fatty Coon exclaimed. And that made Grumpy angrier than
ever.

"You learned that word of old Mr. Crow!" he grumbled. "It's his favorite
expression; and I can't endure it."

"You don't need to stay here and listen to it," Fatty Coon said. "If you
dared to you could run over to Johnnie Green's house (as you call it);
and if you found that you were right about it I promise you I'd never
say 'Nonsense' again."

If Gr