"The best time to plant corn is as early as possible."
A good many of those present exclaimed at once that that was a good answer. And a few clapped their hands.
"What's your opinion?" Jasper Jay then asked, turning to Daddy Longlegs.
Daddy Longlegs took off his hat, mopped his narrow forehead with his red bandanna, and then slowly nodded his head three times.
"My answer is exactly the same as Mr. Crow's," he piped in his queer, thin, high voice.
At that a look of displeasure passed quickly over the faces of the two cousins. And when little Mr. Chippy called on[p. 19] Jasper Jay to decide which was the better answer, Jasper looked really worried.
"It's a tie this time," he said somewhat sourly. And while everybody was shouting, he and Mr. Crow withdrew to one side and whispered, which some considered to be rather bad manners.
Soon Jasper and Mr. Crow returned to the eager throng. And Jasper now looked as brazen as ever.
"I'll put the next question," he announced. "And Daddy Longlegs may answer first.... How many kernels of corn make a meal!"
There wasn't a sound—except for Buster Bumblebee's buzzing—as Daddy Longlegs moved forward a few steps and held his hand behind his ear.