XVI
A NOISY CROWD
When the night of the races and other sports finally came, a great crowd began to gather about Farmer Green's place soon after dark. Although Benjamin Bat had told people that the fun wasn't going to begin until almost morning, they were all so excited that they couldn't wait for the night to pass.
They lingered around the dooryard and talked so loudly that they actually disturbed the household. Farmer Green was even tempted to get up and shut his window, he found it so hard to go to sleep.
The noisiest of all the gathering was Mr. Frog, the tailor, who lived over by the creek.
He had a great deal to say about everything; and it soon became plain to everyone that he was trying to manage the whole affair.
Mr. Frog objected to every arrangement that Benjamin Bat had made. When he learned that he was expected to enter a jumping contest with Kiddie Katydid he exclaimed that he and Kiddie were such good friends that he hated the thought of trying to beat Kiddie at jumping.
"Kiddie might feel bad," said Mr. Frog. "People might laugh at him because I won."
"Don't you worry about me!" Kiddie Katydid called out.
"Where are you?" asked Mr. Frog, looking all around. "I can hear you, but I can't see you."