make a mistake," he objected. "If I went ahead of you, you
might think that I was the game. And there might be a terrible
accident."

Benny Badger sniffed.

"Nonsense!" he cried. "If I did make such a mistake, I promise you that
I wouldn't let it happen more than once."

But the deer mouse proved to be a stubborn chap. He declined flatly to
do as Benny wanted.

"Very well!" said Benny Badger gruffly. "I'm sorry that you don't care
to make things as pleasant as possible for a newcomer. Where I used to
live, people couldn't do enough for me."

"I believe you," Mr. Deer Mouse retorted. "In fact, I've heard that a
man even set a trap for you, right in your own doorway."

Of course, that news came to Benny Badger as a great surprise. He had
had no idea that Mr. Deer Mouse knew anything about him.

"Somebody has been gossiping!" Benny Badger growled angrily. "Who told
you that?"

"Goodness me! Everybody has heard about it," Mr. Deer Mouse replied.
"Don't you know that news travels fast over the plains?"

"Does it travel as fast as I do?" Benny Badger asked him suddenly.

Before the words were out of his mouth he leaped at Mr. Deer Mouse. And
for one as heavy as he was, Benny leaped with surprising swiftness.

But quick as he was, he was too slow to catch Mr. Deer Mouse napping.
That nimble fellow seemed to melt away right beneath Benny Badger's
paws.

For one moment Benny was sure he had him. And the next moment he was
sure he hadn't.

He couldn't see his small neighbor anywhere. In fact, it was a whole
week before Benny Badger set his eyes on him again. And to Benny's
amazement, Mr. Deer Mouse was just as polite as ever. He asked Benny how
he liked his new home, and if he had found the people in the
neighborhood as pleasant as he had expected.

"My house is a fine one," Benny told him. "And I dare say the
neighborhood is as good as I could expect. Certainly there's a plenty of
Gophers and Prairie Dogs here."

"I suppose"--said Mr. Deer Mouse--"I suppose some of them join you at
breakfast every morning."

Benny Badger looked at him sharply. He was all ready to get angry. But
Mr. Deer Mouse was so polite, and seemed so respectful, that Benny was
ashamed to lose his temper.

He actually winked at Mr. Deer Mouse. And he felt more cheerful than he
had since the rancher spoke ill of him.

"I'm glad I moved," he told Mr. Deer Mouse. "This is a fine place. I'm
going to live here the rest of my life."

And