“Excuse me, I did not refer to him,” said the toad; “but really, boys are terribly hard on us! And think of all we do to help them. We eat the dreadfully destructive insects.” “I wonder if my brother Billy ever—” began Mary Frances. “No, not any more,” said the toad. “I’ve lived here in this garden five years and it’s over a year since he’s troubled any of us.” “He never will again,” promised Mary Frances. “I shall certainly tell him your story.” “Good-bye, and thank you very much!” suddenly exclaimed the toad, hopping away very rapidly. “Oh,” called Mary Frances, “I want to ask you something else. Won’t you talk to us again?” This time the toad did not turn around nor answer a word, but hopped more rapidly than ever. “I can catch him!” exclaimed Feather Flop, “and I’ll peck him as hard as ever I can, too, for treating you that way!” “Don’t you dare, Feather Flop,” called Mary Frances, running after him. “I’m ashamed of you!” catching him up. “Oh, dear,” sighed Feather Flop, “and I wanted to help you so much! I am always doing something wrong!” “Listen, Feather Flop,” explained Mary Frances, “that probably frightened him so he’ll never speak again.” “I’ll be to blame for that, too,” mourned Feather Flop. “Oh, I’m sorry, so sorry.” “Never mind, my friend,” said Mary Frances; “I appreciate the kindness you meant to show even if you made a mistake.” “Are you sure you forgive me, little Miss?” asked the rooster. “Quite sure,” answered Mary Frances. “But I can’t promise about the hop toad!” “I don’t care a hop about Hoppy,” said the rooster, “just so you forgive me.” “I guess a rooster, even if as clever as Feather Flop, can’t understand such things,” mused Mary Frances to herself. “Please be polite to him for my sake, then,” she said. “I will! indeed I will!” promised Feather Flop. FOOTNOTE: [F] This list is taken from U. S. Farmers’ Bulletin No. 196, Usefulness of the American Toad. CHAPTER XXIV MR. CUTWORM, THE VILLAIN “IF he mentioned cutworms,” said Billy, as Mary Frances finished telling him the story of the hop toad, “If he mentioned cutworms among the insects he eats, I certainly am glad to make his acquaintance. Will you introduce me to him?” “Certainly I will, Billy; come right down into the garden.” The children looked all over the place for the hop toad, but were unable to find a trace of him. “I remember,” said Mary Frances, “that he told me he slept in the day time.” “Oh, of course,” replied Billy, “that’s the reason we don’t see him. I might have thought of that!” “Hello, he’s been lazing on the job though,” he exclaimed. “Look at those three young tomato plants, all cut off near the roots. Neat work, that. Mr. Cutworm the Villain’s, I’ll bet!” “Oh, dear! Billy, won’t they grow up again?” “Not much!” exclaimed Billy. “No, indeed; we’ll have to put in new ones in their place. We’ve had so little trouble with cutworms that I forgot to take precaution.” “What’s that?” asked Mary Frances.