"I'm going to stay right here," Mr. Fox said. "And as soon as you finish with Mr. Crow, you can begin my picture." And he looked so surly that Jimmy Rabbit didn't dare object.
At last Mr. Crow arrived.
"I'd have been here before," he said, "but I stopped to get a new hat."
"That's too bad!" Jimmy told him. "You know, gentlemen never wear hats when they're having their portraits[p. 76] painted. But I'll tell you what you can do," he added, for he saw that Mr. Crow was disappointed. "You can hold your hat in your hand."
That seemed to make Mr. Crow feel better. But Mr. Fox almost spoiled everything by saying, "Then he'll have to stand on one leg."
Jimmy Rabbit hadn't thought of that. And Mr. Crow only made it harder for him. For he said in a loud voice, "No hat, no picture!"
Jimmy Rabbit thought very hard. And pretty soon he smiled all over his face.
"It's all right!" he said. "I know how to fix it, Mr. Crow. You can hold your hat, just as I said."
So everybody was happy again—except Mr. Fox, who had hoped that old Mr. Crow would go away.
Jimmy Rabbit showed Mr. Crow where[p. 77] to stand. And then he began to paint. And while he worked, Mr. Fox looked over his shoulder.