Chatty Red Squirrel remembered well enough how Farmer Roe’s boy had thrown that rock up at him a few days before when he had taken refuge in Jim Crow’s old nest.

It so happened that Chatty Squirrel was not much hurt. In fact he was only bruised a little when the stone fell into the nest. But he had been badly scared—indeed he had, because the stone was big enough to do him terrible harm if it had struck him squarely.

Chatty Squirrel thought it would be a mighty fine joke to slip over and drop that stone on Ki-yi Coyote. He naturally hated old Ki-yi as much as anybody, because for breakfast—or just any time—Ki-yi was quite as fond of tender[Pg 50] squirrel as he was of fat little rabbit or juicy little owl.

So when Doctor Rabbit slipped away toward a little bridge over the Murmuring Brook, Chatty Squirrel started off through the tree tops toward the big elm under which Ki-yi Coyote lay waiting.

It was just daylight when Chatty Red reached the big elm and got into the old crow’s nest where the stone was. He peeped over the edge of the nest and down. Yes, sir! There was old Ki-yi Coyote! He had his ears pricked up, and he was squinting through the trees toward Doctor Rabbit’s house.

“He’ll come this way now, very soon!” greedy Ki-yi said, and smacked his lips. Chatty heard him, and was so angry he almost scolded out loud. But he didn’t. He kept perfectly still and thought about the stone. Ki-y............