"I couldn't pay anybody anything—unless it was clover-tops," he explained. "And why should any one dig for them when there are thousands to be had for the taking?"
Mr. Crow agreed that Billy Woodchuck knew what he was talking about.
"But," said Mr. Crow, "I've usually found that there's a way out of every difficulty. What you must do is to find[p. 104] somebody that likes to dig—somebody that is so crazy to dig that he'd help you just for the fun of the thing."
Billy Woodchuck looked still more doubtful.
"Who is there?" he asked once more.
Meanwhile Mr. Crow had been thinking rapidly—for he was a quick-witted old scamp.
"I'll tell you!" he cried. "There's Grandfather Mole!"
Although Billy Woodchuck brightened considerably—for Mr. Crow's ideas made him more hopeful—he observed that he didn't know Grandfather Mole. "I've heard of him, however," Billy told Mr. Crow. "He lives in Farmer Green's garden. But you know I never go there. I stick to the fields. I don't like to get too far from home."
"For once, then," said old Mr. Crow, "I[p. 105] should break my rule—if I were you—and visit the garden. Find Grandfather Mole and have a talk with him!"
So Billy Woodchuck decided that he would take Mr. Crow's advice. And though he hated to leave the clover-patch he set out that very afternoon to find Grandfather Mole and ask him if he wouldn't like to help dig a winter home in the pasture. But before starting on his journey Billy Woodchuck waited until Mr. Crow came back and told him that Grandfather Mole had just appeared above ground.