"A few days after they moved in, as we were climbing about and looking over the outside of the house, we found a small hole up under the eaves. Just as soon as it was dark we packed up and moved in too, going through this hole. My, but it was splendid! It was so new and clean. That night we went through the whole house, even the cupboards and closets. After we had looked into every nook and corner we decided to sleep during the day under a box in a corner of the kitchen. They used this box as a stand for their water pail, and there must have been a tiny hole in the pail, for the water trickled down just enough to suit us.
"We lived there some time before we were found out. We had a splendid time every night, and got sleek and fat from helping ourselves to all the good things we could find. But one day the woman found out that the water pail was leaking, so she moved the box. We were having a nice nap when suddenly we awoke and, looking up, saw her bending over us. Of course we jumped as quickly as possible. The woman was badly startled and screamed loudly. Her husband came running to see what was the matter. When he saw what had frightened her, he laughed and said, 'It is nothing but two harmless frogs.' He took the broom and swept us outdoors. This didn't worry us in the least, for that night we got into the house again through our private door up near the roof.
"A few nights after this I chased a fat beetle up the table leg. As he was rushing across the top of the table I almost nabbed him, but he dodged around a glass of milk which stood on the table. As I jumped round the other side of the glass to head him off, I knocked the glass over and it rolled to the floor with a loud crash. The milk ran all over the tablecloth and trickled down on the floor. My, but I was upset! That glass made such a racket I forgot all about the beetle and gave a big jump. I landed under the stove, where I hid.
"Well, you should have heard those people! This time they were both frightened. I could see their faces plainly from where I sat under the stove. They were both pale, as I saw by the light of the lamp they carried. From what they said they seemed to think a man had got in the house. I kept still and trembled while they peered about and poked the lamp into all the dark corners. I was glad to keep out of sight, you may be sure.
"A few nights after this I made another mistake and they found me again. As I was wandering about, I saw a water pitcher on the dining table. Finding its nose nice and damp, I decided to sleep on it all the next day. In the morning, after I had just dropped off into a sound sleep, the family rose, and when breakfast was ready the woman came, took up the pitcher, and poured a glass of water. I woke up just as I went into the glass with the water. She was talking and laughing and did not see me until she raised the glass to her lips to drink. Giving a faint little 'O horrors!' she dropped the glass to the floor and sank into a chair. Her husband sprang up and, seeing me, laughed and laughed. Then he took the broom and quickly swept me outdoors. 'Just think,' I heard her say, 'I might have drunk that frog!' The man kept on laughing until she, too, saw how funny it was and laughed merrily. Now I was outside and Mr. House Frog was inside. I didn't mind this, as I knew well where our door was, and that I could get back in.
"It was some time before they found us again. We had grown careless, and one night when playing hide-and-seek, chasing each other over the wall, we both saw a large bug which we had frightened from behind one of the pictures. He ran up the wall and began to walk across the ceiling as fast as he could go. I was close behind him and Mr. House Frog a little way behind me. I thought I was near enough to grab the bug, when suddenly he dodged to one side. In trying to turn myself about as he had done, I slipped and fell. Mr. House Frog, when he saw me fall, was so frightened he, too, slipped and fell.
"We had been so busy chasing the bug we didn't notice we were directly over where the people of the house were sleeping. When I fell I hit the woman squarely in the face, and Mr. House Frog went down slap in the man's face. They both sprang from the bed, and the woman screamed and screamed. Finally she fainted and fell to the floor. The man picked her up and laid her on the bed. After awhile she moaned, 'Oh, those awful frogs! I know I shall die if you don't kill them.'
"'I can't kill them,' the man told her, 'but in the morning I will carry them a long way off and leave them.'
"He did as he said he would. He put us into a closed box and took us a half-day's journey into the country. As he let us go he said, 'Now, you little rascals, you will bother us no more!'
"When he had gone, we made up our minds to go back as soon as we could. That house suited us to a T. We promised ourselves we would never again be so careless. It was a long, tiresome journey, but we didn't mind it. We got to the house about dusk, tired and hungry. We saw the folks were eating supper, as we once more peeped through that little hole under the eaves. We saw some crumbs fall to the floor as they ate, and as we were so very hungry we decided to go down very quietly, hide under the table, and have our supper at once. We got as far as the man's chair when all of a sudden he tipped back and raised the front legs of the chair from the floor. Just then a nice soft crumb fell from his knee. Mr. House Frog sprang to get it, when down came the front legs of the chair on him and crushed him. Oh," shuddered Mrs. House Frog, "it was dreadful, dreadful! His eyes bulged out of his head and his tongue hung from his mouth. I was so frightened I could not move. Oh, Oh," she shuddered, "I can't bear to think of it. It was so very, very dreadful!" Mrs. House Frog covered her eyes with her little hands and shook with sobs, while Bully looked on, his little heart filled with pity.