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By and by when Mr. Sun went down behind the Purple Hills to his home and Old Mother West Wind with all her Merry Little Breezes went after him, and the little stars came out to twinkle and twinkle, the Smiling Pool lay all quiet and still, but smiling and smiling to think what a good time every one had had at Jerry Muskrat’s party.

CHAPTER XII BOBBY COON AND REDDY FOX PLAY TRICKS

It was night. All the little stars were looking down and twinkling and twinkling. Mother Moon was doing her best to make the Green Meadows as light as Mr. Sun did in the daytime. All the little birds except Hooty the Owl and Boomer the Night Hawk, and noisy Mr. Whip-poor-will were fast asleep in their little nests. Old Mother West Wind’s Merry Little Breezes had all gone to sleep, too. It was oh so still! Indeed it was so very still that Bobby Coon, coming down the Lone Little Path through the wood, began to talk to himself.

“I don’t see what people want to play all day and sleep all night for,” said Bobby Coon. “Night’s the best time to be about. Now Reddy Fox–“

“Be careful what you say about Reddy Fox,” said a voice right behind Bobby Coon.

Bobby Coon turned around very quickly indeed, for he had thought he was all alone. There was Reddy Fox himself, trotting down the Lone Little Path through the wood.

“I thought you were home and fast asleep, Reddy Fox,” said Bobby Coon.

“You were mistaken,” said Reddy Fox. “For you see I’m out to take a walk in the moonlight.”

So Bobby Coon and Reddy Fox walked together down the Lone Little Path through the wood to the Green Meadows. They met Jimmy Skunk, who had dreamed that there were a lot of beetles up on the hill, and was just going to climb the Crooked Little Path to see.

“Hello, Jimmy Skunk!” said Bobby Coon and Reddy Fox. “Come down to the Green Meadows with us.”

Jimmy Skunk said he would, so they all went down on the Green Meadows together, Bobby Coon first, Reddy Fox next and Jimmy Skunk last of all, for Jimmy Skunk never hurries. Pretty soon they came to the house of Johnny Chuck.

“Listen,” said Bobby Coon. “Johnny Chuck is fast asleep.”

They all listened and they could hear Johnny Chuck snoring away down in his snug little bed.

“Let’s give Johnny Chuck a surprise,” said Reddy Fox.

“What shall it be?” asked Bobby Coon.

“I know,” said Reddy Fox. “Let’s roll that big stone right over Johnny Chuck’s doorway; then he’ll have to dig his way out in the morning.”

So Bobby Coon and Reddy Fox pulled and tugged and tugged and pulled at the big stone till they had rolled it over Johnny Chuck’s doorway. Jimmy Skunk pretended not to see what they were doing.

“Now let’s go down to the Laughing Brook and wake up old Grandfather Frog and hear him say ‘Chug-a-rum,'” said Bobby Coon.

“Come on!” cried Reddy Fox, “I’ll get there first!”

Away raced Reddy Fox down the Lone Little Path and after him ran Bobby Coon, going to wake old Grandfather Frog from a nice comfortable sleep on his green lily pad.

But Jimmy Skunk didn’t go. He watched Reddy Fox and Bobby Coon until they were nearly to the Laughing Brook. Then he began to dig at one side of the big stone which filled the doorway of Johnny Chuck’s house. My, how he made the dirt fly! Pretty soon he had made a hole big enough to call through to Johnny Chuck, who was snoring away, fast asleep in his snug little bed below.

“Johnny Chuck, Chuck, Chuck! Johnny Woodchuck!” called Jimmy Skunk.

But Johnny Chuck just snored.

“Johnny Chuck, Chuck, Chuck! Johnny Woodchuck!” called Jimmy Skunk once more.

But Johnny Chuck just snored. Then Jimmy Skunk called again, this time louder than before.

“Who is it?” asked a very sleepy voice.

“It’s Jimmy Skunk. Put your coat on and come up here!” called Jimmy Skunk.