“I was walking along, thinking of a new joke to try, when I saw what I thought was a nice seat here by this old stump. The seat had a blanket over the top, and a sign saying:
‘PLEASE SIT DOWN ON ME!’
“Well, of course, I sat down, and before I knew it I was frozen fast. You see there was a cake of ice under the blanket, and I’m sure Mr. Whitewash put it there, just to fool me.”
“I guess he did,” said Neddie, and he could hardly keep from laughing, for Uncle Wigwag looked so funny, frozen fast.
“Can’t you help me?” asked the bear gentleman. “You see Mr. Whitewash can sit on a cake of ice without freezing to it, for he is used to living at the North Pole, but I am not. Oh, dear! I’m freezing tighter and tighter. I may have to stay here all night.”
“Oh, no, we will help you,” said Neddie kindly. So he and Beckie blew their warm breath on the cake of ice, and soon it was melted enough so that Uncle Wigwag could pull himself loose. And very glad, indeed, he was to get up. Then along came Mr. Whitewash saying, as he combed his claws through his white fur:
“Well, I see my trick worked after all.”
“Yes,” spoke Uncle Wigwag, “it did. And it served me right. Now let’s all go and have some hot chocolate, for I am chilled through.” So they had the hot chocolate in the drug store, and everybody was happy, and Uncle Wigwag didn’t play any more tricks until the next time.
And if the cat in our back yard doesn’t try to walk across the clothes line and fall off into the ash can, I’ll tell you next about Beckie Stubtail and her wax doll.