pped his coat on again, and lay flat in
the grass.

A coyote had come bounding up at exactly the wrong time! And every one
of the prairie dogs promptly pulled his head out of sight.

If he noticed Benny at all, the coyote must have thought him no more
than a heap of dirt. Anyhow, he paid no heed to Benny, but went stalking
through the village with his tongue hanging out of his mouth, looking
sharply out of the corners of his eyes at the houses he passed.

There is no denying that Benny Badger was displeased. He wanted no
sneaking coyote at hand to spoil his plans. And he was all ready to
growl, when something made him change his mind and close his mouth.

The coyote walked through the village and disappeared in the distance.
And here and there heads soon began to appear in doorways.

But when Benny Badger stood up and drew nearer to them, they dropped
down again.

The next moment a very angry lady rushed up and began scolding Benny
Badger at the top of her voice. It was Mrs. Coyote. "Go away from this
village!" she shrieked. "You're spoiling our hunting!"

"Whose hunting?" Benny Badger asked her.

"Mine and my husband's!" she snapped. "That was my husband that passed
by here a few minutes ago. Of course we know the Prairie Dogs will all
hide when they see him. But they're so silly that they're sure to bob up
and stare at him after he has gone along. And then"--she said--"then's
the time I dash up and grab them."

Mrs. Coyote paused and glared at Benny Badger. "You've spoiled my game,"
she said. "You went and showed yourself. And when they saw you, the
Prairie Dogs hid again."

Benny Badger looked at Mrs. Coyote pleasantly enough.

"Why don't you dig for them?" he asked.

But Mrs. Coyote didn't appear to care for that idea in the least. She
threatened Benny Badger with dreadful things, if he didn't leave at
once. And then she hurried on to find her husband.

Benny Badger was glad to see her go. He was not at all afraid either of
Mr. or Mrs. Coyote--nor of both of them together. And though he had
spoiled their game, he hardly thought that they would be able to spoil
his.

XVII

THE PRAIRIE DOG VILLAGE

Having once found his way to the prairie dog village, Benny Badger often
visited it.

And it is said, by those who know, that while he was there he always had
a much pleasanter time than the villagers themselves.

So little did the prairie dogs enjoy Benny Badger's society that
whenever one o