XII.

One bright, frosty, October morning Jack went up to the walnut in the pasture to gather . Jimmy Crow went too. Jack drew his little , and rode on the . picked up all the nuts on the ground, then climbed the tree and shook down more, still in their thick, green .

hen he came down, was busily picking up the nuts and dropping them into a in the tree. "Stop that!" cried Jack. "These are my . The can pick for themselves." "Caw, caw!" said Jimmy Crow.

ack took home a -load. Then he brought a and spread the nuts out on the of the to dry the husks.

oward night Jack took out to look at his . Half of them were gone! "Oh dear!" said Jack, "It is again. Now where has he put them all?" Just then he saw Jimmy's disappear into the . He ran after, but could see no nuts—only an old . He climbed up on the , but found no nuts inside—only a , lying on its side. He reached into the barrel and felt nothing but a . He pulled it out and peeped into it—and at last he had found the ! And Jimmy Crow perched on his and laughed, "Caw, caw!" When the nuts had all been carried back to the , and had praised Jack's work, she said, "Now we must hurry in to supper. The has set and it is getting late and cold. Let us run, to keep warm." So she and took and ran all the way back to the . Then they went in to their supper—and went too.

"AND JIMMY CROW WENT TOO!"