To be sure, he had some trouble in finding the old gentleman, there were so many different passages in which to look for him. But at last Mr. Meadow Mouse met Grandfather Mole in a long tunnel that followed a row of newly planted corn.
"Ah, ha!" Grandfather Mole cried. "There's something I want to say to you."
[p. 83]"So I hear!" Mr. Meadow Mouse replied a bit anxiously, for Grandfather Mole sounded none too pleasant.
"You've been getting me into trouble with old Mr. Crow," Grandfather Mole complained. "He thinks I've been eating the seed corn that Farmer Green planted. And if I told him that it was you that's done it, and that you've been using my galleries to reach the hills of corn, Mr. Crow would never believe what I said."
"It looks bad for you, doesn't it?" said Mr. Meadow Mouse more cheerfully.
Somehow his remark displeased Grandfather Mole.
"You'd better be careful what you say!" he warned Mr. Meadow Mouse. "If you make me angry it will go hard with you."
Now, Grandfather Mole was known to be a terrible fighter when aroused. And Mr. Meadow Mouse had no liking for a[p. 84] fight with any one. So he moved backward a few steps and made ready to run.
"I'm sorry if I have caused you trouble," he said. "Couldn't you explain to Mr. Crow that you have tunnelled into the hills of corn in order to catch the grubs that would eat the corn if you didn't eat them first? Can't you tell him that you are helping the corn crop, instead of ruining it?"
Grandfather Mole shook his head.