Old Dame Nature has the most smiling face in the world, but this time it was very, very grave indeed. First she asked little Mrs. Grouse to tell her story all over again that all might hear. Then each in turn was asked to tell where he had been the night before. Johnny Chuck, Happy Jack Squirrel, Striped Chipmunk, Sammy Jay and Blacky the Crow had gone to bed when Mr. Sun went down behind the Purple Hills. Jerry Muskrat, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter, Grandfather Frog and Spotty the Turtle had not left the Smiling Pool. Bobby Coon had been down in Farmer Brown's cornfield. Hooty the Owl had been hunting in the lower end of the Green Meadows. Peter Rabbit had been down in the berry patch. Mr. Toad had been under the piece of bark which he called a house. Old Dame Nature called on Jimmy Skunk last of all. Jimmy protested that he had been very, very tired and had gone to bed very early indeed and had slept the whole night through. Then Old Dame Nature asked Peter Rabbit what he had found among the egg shells that morning. Peter Rabbit hopped out and laid three long black hairs before Old Dame Nature. “These,” said Peter Rabbit “are what I found among the egg shells.” Then Old Dame Nature called Johnny Chuck. “Tell us, Johnny Chuck,” said she, “what you saw when you called at Jimmy Skunk's house this morning.” “I saw Jimmy Skunk,” said Johnny Chuck, “and Jimmy seemed very, very sleepy. It seemed to me that his whiskers were yellow.” “That will do,” said Old Dame Nature, and then she called Old Mother West Wind. “What time did you come down on the Green Meadows this morning?” “Just at the break of day,” said Old Mother West Wind, “as Mr. Sun was coming up from behind the Purple Hills.” “And whom did you see so early in the morning?” asked Old Dame Nature. “I saw Bobby Coon going home from old Farmer Brown's cornfield,” said Old Mother West Wind. “I saw Hooty the Owl coming back from the lower end of the Green Meadows. I saw Peter Rabbit down in the berry patch. Last of all I saw something like a black shadow coming down the Lone Little Path toward the house of Jimmy Skunk.” Every one was looking very hard at Jimmy Skunk. Jimmy began to look very unhappy and very uneasy. “Who wears a black coat?” asked Dame Nature. “Jimmy Skunk!” shouted all the little meadow folks. “What MIGHT make whiskers yellow?” asked Old Dame Nature. No one seemed to know at first. Then Peter Rabbit spoke up. “It MIGHT be the yolk of an egg,” said Peter Rabbit. “Who are likely to be sleepy on a bright sunny morning?” asked Old Dame Nature. “People who have been out all night,” said Johnny Chuck, who himself always goes to bed with the sun. “Jimmy Skunk,” said Old Dame Nature, and her voice was very stern, very stern indeed, and her face was very grave. “Jimmy Skunk, I accuse you of having broken and eaten the eggs of Mrs. Grouse. What have you to say for yourself?” Jimmy Skunk hung his head. He hadn't a word to say. He just wanted to sneak away by himself.