So he called very softly, "Who are you, Little Neighbors?"
Old Bob was outside
"I'm just Buddy Jim and I won't harm you—you must have heard of me—I live here in this house."
"Oh," cried both little voices in a relieved tone, "You don't know what a load you have taken off our minds! Why of course we have heard of you. Mrs. Harvest Mouse says that you really saved the lives of her whole family the day Red-Headed Woodpecker came to collect the rent. But you see that was different. She was in her own house and we are in yours, and for some reason we have never been able to find out, people dislike to have us come in their houses."
"They set traps for us," said Little Sister Mouse, "and kill us—and we are no good to them—our fur is so soft that it is useless—and then the cats! Why! we are in constant fear of their dreadful claws!"
"Yes indeed," said Brother Mouse, "we never came in this house until Old Dog Sandy came here to live and made Peter Prowler live under the barn."
"In that case," said Buddy, "I can not imagine why you go into people's houses. I would certainly not go where I was not welcome."