28 STORIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS 



"Who is visiting, mistress we or the Oak?" 

 persisted Waddles, sturdily. "It is our ground, 

 you know." 



"Then the Oaks must be our guests, and we 

 must be very nice to them." 



" I don't see why ; we did not invite them to 



come." 



" For shame, Waddles ! Aren't you enough of 

 a gentleman to know that you must be extra 

 polite to the people you didn't invite, so that 

 they will feel comfortable, and not know that 

 there is not quite enough for dinner until they 

 get to the table ? " 



" I don't see what all that has to do with the 



" Tommy- Anne," interrupted the Oak, "if that 

 small dog of yours thinks he is hungry again, 

 there is Adjidaumo, the Red Squirrel, that lives 

 in the big Oak, whom he might try to catch for 

 amusement ; and if he is really hungry, why 

 doesn't he dig up the ham bone he buried in the 

 orchard this morning? It was a fine bone, with 

 good meat upon it. The Blacksmith's cat, Tiger, 

 is smelling around the spot now " 



Up jumped Waddles, his tail standing out 

 like a pump handle, and casting a reproachful 

 look at the tell-tale tree, and a shamefaced one 

 at his mistress, he shot down the hill. 



