"Of course," said Sweetest Susan. "Well," Mr. Rabbit continued, "Mr. Wolf kept on playing the fiddle, but Mr. Billy-Goat didn't dance. Not only that, he kept so near the edge of the porch that the rain drifted in on his horns and ran down his long beard. But he kept his eye on Mr. Wolf. After playing the fiddle till he was tired, Mr. Wolf asked:-- "'How do you get your meat, my young friends?' "Mr. Dog said he depended on his teeth, and Mr. Billy-Goat, thinking to be on the safe side, said he also depended upon his teeth. "'As for me,' cried Mr. Wolf, 'I depend on my feet!' and with that he dropped his fiddle and jumped at Mr. Billy-Goat. But he knocked the broom down and the handle tripped him. It was all very sudden, but by the time Mr. Wolf had recovered himself Mr. Billy-Goat and Mr. Dog had gone a considerable distance. [Illustration: MR. BILLY-GOAT AND MR. WOLF] "They ran and ran until they came to a big creek. Mr. Billy-Goat asked Mr. Dog how he was going to get across. "'Swim,' said Mr. Dog. "'Then I'll have to bid you good-by,' replied Mr. Billy-Goat, 'for I can't swim a stroke.' "By this time they had arrived at the bank of the creek, and they could hear Mr. Wolf coming through the woods. They had no time to lose. Mr. Dog looked around on the ground, gathered some jan-weed, yan-weed, and tan-weed, rubbed them together, and squeezed a drop of the juice on Mr. Billy-Goat's horns. He had no sooner done this than Mr. Billy-Goat was changed into a white rock. "Then Mr. Dog leaped into the creek and swam across. Mr. Wolf ran to the bank, but there he stopped. The water was so wide it made tears come in his eyes; so deep that it made his legs ache; and so cold that it made his body shiver. "When Mr. Dog arrived safely on the other side he cried out, 'Aha! you are afraid! You've drowned poor Mr. Billy-Goat, but you are afraid of me. I dare you to fling a rock at me!' "This made Mr. Wolf so mad that he seized the white rock and threw it at Mr. Dog with all his might. It fell near Mr. Dog, and instantly became Mr. Billy-Goat again. But in falling a piece was broken off, and it happened to be Mr. Billy-Goat's tail. Ever since then he has had a very short tail." "Were you there, Mr. Rabbit?" asked Sweetest Susan bluntly. "I was fishing at the time," replied Mr. Rabbit. "I heard the noise they made, and I turned around and saw it just as I've told you." Drusilla touched Buster John on the arm. "We ain't dreamin', is we, honey?" Buster John looked at her scornfully. "What put that in your head?" he asked. "Suppose the rock had hit Mr. Dog?" suggested Sweetest Susan. THE PUMPKIN-EATER. "Now, that's so!" exclaimed Mr. Thimblefinger. "And it reminds me of a little accident that happened in my mother's family. But it's hardly worth telling." "Well, tell it, anyhow," said Mrs. Meadows. "Yes," remarked Mr. Rabbit, "the proof of the pudding is in chewing the bag."