t gentleman who was telling them
anecdotes about the Wild Animals he had known.

[Illustration: _Telling anecdotes_]

This troubled Mr. Esop, who, though an excellent man, was inclined to be
jealous. Miss Muffet went out to remind the children of the Morals, but
in a little while she became as interested as the rest of them.

"His way of talking is different from Mr. Esop's, but I am not sure but
he may be right. At any rate, I am glad to hear some one who speaks
respectfully about animals, and who doesn't say anything behind their
backs that he wouldn't say to their faces. He always remembers that they
are persons and have feelings. Then when they do things, he doesn't
blame them or call them bad names. That's one thing I don't like about
Mr. Esop. He isn't quite fair, and he is always accusing them of Folly."

"It's remarkable how small the world is, after all," said the pleasant
gentleman, when more than a score of persons told him that the Wild
Animals he had known were among their most intimate acquaintances, and
that they had met them under a great many different circumstances. Then
followed a good deal of gossip about their family life and the way they
got their living. Miss Muffet was glad to hear that they were all so
kind to their children, but the way they got their living troubled her.
She remembered what the spider said, that "business is business," but
that didn't make it seem any more kind.

"It's the Law of the Jungle," said Mowgli; and then he recited the law
word for word just as he had learned it.

"Can't they change it?" asked Miss Muffet.

"The Jungle people can't. It's too strong for them."

From this the conversation drifted to hunting for sport. The pleasant
gentleman who knew so many animals personally didn't like it. The Boy
Hunters, who had spent a great deal of time in the woods, didn't agree
with him. They said that the proper way to become acquainted with
animals was to carry a gun. It showed that you entered into the spirit
of the thing. They fancied that it was good for wild animals to be
hunted; in fact, that was what kept them wild.

Miss Muffet didn't think that was a very good reason, though it sounded
logical; and she asked several of the Animals what they thought about
it.

[Illustration: "_It all depends on grammar_"]

A Duck, a Dodo, a Lory, and an Eaglet, who had come with Alice from
Wonderland, were the nearest, and she asked them first, but they refused
to answer o