"It's uglier than a toad, if anything. But I never kill
toads; I know better'n to do that."
"I am glad to hear it," said the visitor from town as they turned
toward the elm tree. "Toads enjoy life and it's wicked to molest 'em."
"Oh, I don't know about their enjoyin' life. The reason I let 'em
alone is, coz if you kill a toad, your cow'll give bad milk."
Alice did not dispute this wise statement. She could not help wishing
that the same law of retaliation protected all birds, beasts, and
insects.
After seeing the frog deposited in safety in a hole in one of the big
boughs, she with Matilda and Esther scampered back to the swing
expecting to find the others there. To their surprise the big
grapevine was unoccupied, and the shouts and screams issuing from the
schoolhouse led them too, to hurry on to see what was the matter.
"Maybe Jim Stubbs has got a mus'rat, or somethin' in there a-scarin'
the children," suggested Esther, as they entered the door.
A crowd had gathered in front of the teacher's desk on which was placed
the large dictionary, and seated on the book was the boy who winked
with his nose.
"Stand back!" he called, "I'm going to let it out, and then you'll see
fun."
With that he jumped down, removed the dictionary, raised the lid of the
desk, and out popped a red squirrel.
Pages:
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135