STORY XXII
PAPA NO-TAIL AND NANNIE GOAT
One morning, bright and early, Papa No-Tail, the frog gentleman, started for the wallpaper factory where he worked at making patterns on the paper by dipping his feet in the different colored inks and jumping up and down. And when he got there he saw, standing outside the factory, the man who made the engines go, and this man said:
“There is no work to-day for you, Mr. No-Tail.”
“Ah ha! What is the matter?” asked Bully’s papa.
“That bad Pelican bird came again in the night and chewed up all the ink,” said the engine man. “So you may have a vacation until we get some more ink.”
“This is very unexpected—very,” spoke Papa No-Tail. “But I will enjoy myself. I’ll go take a nice long hop, and perhaps I will see something I can bring home to Bully and Bawly.” So off he started, and he had no more idea what was going to happen to him than you have what you’re going to get for next Christmas.
Papa No-Tail was hopping along, thinking what a fine day it was when, all of a sudden, he came to a place in the woods where there were some nice flowers.
“Ha! I will take these home to my wife,” thought Mr. No-Tail, as he picked the pretty blossoms. Then he hopped on some more, and he came to a place where there were some nice round stones, as white as milk.
“Ah! I will take these home for Bully and Bawly to play marbles with,” said the frog papa. Then he hopped on a little farther and he came to a place in the woods where was growing a nice big stick with a crooked handle.