“But there’s nothing for you to eat there,” said Billy.
“Eat?” Uncle Jerry exclaimed. “I’m not going to eat. I’m going to sleep.”
So Uncle Jerry Chuck went to sleep on top of the big rock. All the time he slept, Billy Woodchuck sat upon his hind legs and listened with all his might and main. But his sharp ears caught no hint of danger.
After a while he began to wish that old Spot would come along—or a skunk or a fox. For it seemed as if Uncle Jerry never would wake up again.
Billy wouldn’t have minded quite so much, if Uncle Jerry hadn’t snored. But, of course, that made it much harder to listen.
At last Uncle Jerry Chuck opened his eyes and slowly rose to his feet and stretched himself.
“You’ve done very well, for a beginner,” he told Billy. “Come back here to-morrow at the same hour and I’ll try you again.”
Now, Billy Woodchuck had done enough listening to last him for a long time. But he didn’t know just how to tell that to Uncle Jerry. And almost before he knew it he found himself saying:
“Yes, sir!”