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Good wishes to all Hollow Tree friends
From the Story Teller]
THE FIRST DINNER AT THE HOLLOW TREE INN
[See page 20]
MAKING UP WITH MR. DOG
HOLLOW TREE STORIES
BY ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE
ILLUSTRATED BY J. M. CONDE
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON
HOLLOW TREE STORIES
BY
ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE
12mo. Cloth. Fully Illustrated
HOW MR. DOG GOT EVEN HOW MR. RABBIT LOST HIS TAIL MR. RABBIT'S BIG DINNER MAKING UP WITH MR. DOG MR. POSSUM'S GREAT BALLOON TRIP WHEN JACK RABBIT WAS A LITTLE BOY
HOLLOW TREE AND DEEP WOODS BOOK Illustrated. 8vo.
HOLLOW TREE SNOWED-IN BOOK Illustrated. 8vo.
HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK
Copyright, 1898, by JAMES GORDON BENNETT
Copyright, 1899, by FRANK MUNSEY
Copyright, 1899, by THE CENTURY COMPANY
Copyright, 1898, 1899, 1901, by ROBERT HOWARD RUSSELL
Copyright, 1900, by HARPER & BROTHERS
CONTENTS
PAGE THE HOLLOW TREE INN 3
THE HOLLOW TREE INN (_Continued_) 11
A DEEP WOODS FISHING PARTY 25
MR. RABBIT EXPLAINS 41
THE HOLLOW TREE POETRY CLUB 53
MR. RABBIT'S UNWELCOME COMPANY 79
MR. 'POSSUM EXPLAINS 91
AROUND THE WORLD AND BACK AGAIN 109
THE HOLLOW TREE INN
THE THREE FRIENDS GO INTO BUSINESS
ONE rainy day when the 'Coon and 'Possum and Old Black Crow, who livedtogether in three big hollow limbs of a Big Hollow Tree, were rummagingabout their house, they found that above each of their rooms was a gooddeal of room that nobody ever used. That set them to thinking, andpretty soon Mr. 'Possum said it was too bad to let all that good room goto waste, and Mr. 'Coon said yes, it was, and that their house was bigenough for a hotel.
Of course he didn't think what he was saying at the time, but it set Mr.Crow to thinking and walking up and down, whistling, and pretty soon hestopped still and looked at the 'Coon and 'Possum.
"I'll do the cookin'," he said, "if you'll get the things to cook."
And right then and there they made up their minds to do it, and earlythe next morning, while the Old Black Crow was hurrying about inside,getting things ready for business, the 'Coon and the 'Possum nailed up asign outside, and this is what was on it:--
THE HOLLOW TREE INN. BOARD BY THE DAY OR WEEK.
"HELLO!" HE SAID. "WHAT'S THIS?"]
Then they went inside to help Mr. Crow get ready, and by and by they allsat down and waited for people to come. Mr. 'Coon and Mr. 'Possum feltpretty well, too, for they thought they would have the easiest time. Yousee, they had always depended on Mr. Crow a good deal, for, besidesbeing a good cook, he was a great hand to provide, and knew more aboutwhere to get the best things, and the best time of day or night to getthem, than both of the others put together. So he didn't say anything,but dressed up nice and spruce in a clean apron and cooking cap andleaned out of the window, as cooks always do, with his arms folded. Byand by along came Mr. Jack Rabbit.
"Hello!" he said. "What's this?"
Then he read the sign over and looked at Mr. Crow and asked him if itwas a joke. And Mr. Crow said:--
"Not much! Come up and see."
So then Mr. Rabbit went up stairs, and Mr. 'Coon and Mr. 'Possum showedhim through, and Jack Rabbit said that he didn't feel very well thissummer, anyway, and he believed he'd just shut up his house and come andboard awhile for a change. He said he guessed he'd take the room aboveMr. 'Coon's, because it had a nice south window and a tall lookingglass, and that he'd pack up a few things that he needed and come overright away. Then he went home and the 'Coon and 'Possum and the OldBlack Crow all shook hands and danced around in a circle to think howwell they were going to do, for if Mr. Jack Rabbit came they were sureof having as many others as their house would hold.
And while they were dancing, along came Mr. Robin. He read the sign,too, and laughed, and then knocked at the door till Mr. 'Coon came downand let him in. He thought it was a joke at first, like the Rabbit, butwhen he heard that Jack Rabbit was coming to board he spoke up just asquick as anything and said he'd come, too, and that he'd have his thingsthere before supper time. He took the room over Mr. Crow, because hesaid he didn't mind the smell of the cooking, and then maybe he'd learnsome new receipts. You see, Mr. Crow and Mr. Robin are sort of kinsfolk,and when they have time they often get together and trace back to findout just what relation they are to each other, and that makes them goodfriends.
Well, Mr. Robin hadn't more'n got out of the house when who should walkin but Mr. Squirrel.
"What's all this about boarders?" said Mr. Squirrel. "I'm looking for aplace to spend a month or two myself."
So then they showed him the room above Mr. 'Possum's, and he was sopleased with the view and everything that he paid a week's board inadvance to be sure of keeping anybody else from getting it. When he wasgone the 'Coon and 'Possum and the Old Black Crow did another dance, andkept saying over and over how rich they'd be and what they would do withall the money. Then they heard somebody laughing outside, and when theylooked out there was Mr. Turtle laughing and reading the sign.
"Hello!" he said. "This isn't the first of April."
"No," said Mr. Crow, "it's a boarding house, and a good one. All thebest people in the country stop here. Mr. Rabbit, Mr. Robin, and Mr.Squirrel. Sorry, Mr. Turtle, but our rooms are all full."
Then Mr. Turtle did look cheap, for he thought he couldn't be in thecrowd, and it was the very crowd he liked to associate with. But justthen Mr. 'Coon happened to think that they might fit up the big roombelow the other big room where they all gathered to eat and talk, andMr. Turtle said that would suit him exactly, because he was large andheavy and didn't care much about climbing anyway. So he hurried offafter his things, too, and he wasn't out of sight before here comes Mr.Dog!
Mr. 'Coon and Mr. 'Possum were both looking out the window when he cameup, and they jumped back like lightning. You see, they didn't like Mr.Dog worth a cent. Then Mr. Crow came and looked out the window andtalked to him. Mr. Dog was just as polite as a basket of chips, and ofcourse that's the politest thing in the world.
"I've just seen Mr. Robin," said Mr. Dog, "and I came to get a room,too."
"Awfully sorry, Mr. Dog, but our rooms are all full," said Mr. Crow.
"Why don't you take down your sign, then?" said Mr. Dog.
"Hotels never take down their signs," said Mr. Crow.
"Hotels are never too full for one more, either," said Mr. Dog. "If youdon't let me come in I think I'll wait around here and make a vacancy."
THE HOLLOW TREE INN (_Continued_)