“The Laughing Brook is merry   And so am I,” cried Jerry.
  Grandfather Frog said he was too.
  And Spotty was, the others knew.
 
The trees stood with wet feet where just a little while before had been the strange pond in the Green Forest, the pond made by the dam of Paddy the Beaver. In the dam was a great hole made by Paddy himself.
 
Through the Green Forest rang the laughter of the Laughing Brook, for once more the water ran deep between its banks. And in the hearts of Grandfather Frog and Jerry Muskrat and Spotty the Turtle was laughter also, for now the Smiling Pool would smile once more, and they could go home in peace and happiness. And there was one more who laughed. Who was it? Why, Paddy the Beaver to be sure, and his was the best laugh of all, for it was because he had brought happiness to others.
 
“You beat me up here to the dam, but you won't beat me back to the Smiling Pool,” cried Jerry Muskrat to Spotty the Turtle.
 
Spotty laughed good-naturedly. “You'd better not stop to eat or play or sleep on the way then,” said he, “for I shall keep right on going all the time. I've found that is the only way to get anywhere.”
 
“Let us all go down together” said Grandfather Frog. “We can help each other over the bad places.”
 
Jerry Muskrat laughed until he had to hold his sides at the very thought of Grandfather Frog or Spotty the Turtle being able to help him, but he is very good-natured, and so he agreed that they should all go down together. Paddy the Beaver said that he would go, too, so off the four started, Jerry Muskrat and Paddy the Beaver swimming side by side, and behind them Grandfather Frog and Spotty the Turtle.
 
Now Spotty the Turtle is a very slow traveler on land, but in the water Spotty is not so slow. In fact, it was not long before Grandfather Frog found that he was the one who could not keep up. You see, while h............